Alive After Dark
by Rebelina11
Summary: A common sense tale: The Queen chose a much more ideal vampire to watch over Sookie. She sent Eric, not Bill. Sookie's view of Eric wasn't marred by what Bill did. Come see what happens when common sense prevails. Lots of fun and new stuff. Rated M!
1. Bad Things

_No, please no… for the love of all that's Holy_, I thought to myself, cringing and… they were off. Every single bar patron singing the Godforsaken song that had become the new anthem. Oh! But they weren't just singing the song out loud with their mouths. Little ol' crazy me could also "hear" everything coming out of their heads, from the lyrics to everything that went along with the title of the song. "Bad things," indeed.

I gave Sam THE face, and he made a quick motion with his chin, giving me permission to skedaddle before I had a meltdown in his bar. He was my boss, and the only one who didn't think I was odd for being the telepathic freak that I am. Sam didn't mind if I needed a breather, like I did now, particularly after a long or hard day like the one I'd had so far.

Sam lived in a trailer behind his bar. It had a cute little garden and chairs set up in front. That's where I headed to escape the cacophony of sounds and thoughts that were assaulting me. It was a cool late September night, but pleasant, and out by the trailer I could almost hear the music, but not much else.

Unfortunately, being out here by myself doing nothing gave me a lot of time to think and hold a pity party. I usually held those for myself and by myself, because my Gran would have severely disapproved, and my brother Jason couldn't have cared less about my trials and tribulations. You'd think he care about what had happened to me today, though. I good brother would.

It all started with some college kids passing by during lunch hour. I hadn't been exhausted then, so I was keeping their thoughts well blocked. Before I knew it, they had set up a trap to cop a feel from me. One of them got up from his chair suddenly as I was passing by their table, which made me run into another one. Before I knew it one had touched my breasts and the other my butt. Sam intervened immediately. He didn't let things like that happen in his bar without consequences. This was a community place, after all. I would say a "family bar," but that wasn't right.

I knew why the college kids had done it: I'm cute, I'm bountiful, and I'm blond. Maybe they thought they could get away with it. All I know is that I was about to hit _somebody_ with a tray before Sam bellowed that the guys had to leave or meet his bat. I haven't made the bat's acquaintance yet, but I've seen it doing its thing. Not pretty.

Once that matter was settled and they stiffed me for tips, I was so flustered about the whole thing that I kept making mistakes. They were silly things, like giving the regular Coke to the person who wanted diet, forgetting somebody's water or ketchup, things like that.

At around six, the Rattrays showed up. They were really the bane of my existence. They were husband and wife trash, and they seemed to always end up in my section. By the time they showed up, my mental shields had yielded, and I could hear every single disgusting thing that Mack Rattray was thinking about yours truly. Denise Rattray was just doing her usual, teasing her hair at the table (disgusting) and smacking her gum waiting for their food. They had begun their dinner when the stupid song started up.

It had been too much for my poor brain to handle. I'm not usually one to hold pity parties for myself, mind you, but I had been feeling particularly lonely lately. Everybody seemed to be pairing up kind of suddenly. My friend Arlene, who also waited tables at Merlotte's, had just gotten back together with Rene, one of her ex-husbands. My friend Tara had gotten engaged to a guy we all called Eggs. My brother Jason… well, actually, he'd seen the same girl twice in a row. In Jason's world that was practically a relationship.

And then there was me, little Sookie Stackhouse, the crazy girl from Bon Temps, who could read people's minds including that of any male who dared to look her way. I'd barely ever gotten through a whole first date. The only one that had been nearly nice was a date I'd had with a guy named JB duRone, who was a very good looking man, but dumb as a rock. It would have been great to spend more time with him, but I just couldn't get past the fact that we had so very little in common. Maybe I was being too picky.

The sky was beginning to darken as I headed back inside. The song was over and people's thoughts were relatively calm. The only thing I could not remedy was the fact that the Rattrays were still at their table, still eating, and would probably stay there and nurse drinks after dinner. I took care of my other tables and tried to avoid them as much as possible. They didn't tip well no matter what I did, so there was no harm if I didn't make the extra effort.

I nearly choked when some idiot put the stupid song on the jukebox again. I was _thisclose_ to run away screaming into the night, when the most beautiful man I'd ever seen sauntered into the bar after the first line. I knew immediately what he was. How could I not? Human skin doesn't glow, and his did.

He was a vampire.

Vampires had made themselves known almost three years before, but I'd only seen a couple when I went to watch a movie in Shreveport, and only from very far away. No vampire would ever come to Bon Temps. We were in rural Northern Louisiana, far from the city of Shreveport, and farther still from hopping New Orleans.

Yet, there he was, in all his spectacular glory. A bona fide vampire. And he was huge. A mountain of a… a man, I guess. A vampire who happens to be male? Oh, whatever! He headed straight for my section, and I was super happy that Sam had stocked a few bottles of True Blood. It was the blood substitute of choice. Sam had said that True Blood was of blood what Grey Goose was of vodka. And then he'd said "of synthetic blood, because vampires would probably prefer the real thing, I'm sure." That had sent chills down my spine.

I knew my nervous smile was making its appearance as I approached the vampire's table. His hair was long, about the same color as mine, and his eyes were a glacial blue. I'd once seen a picture of a glacial lake in Canada, and it was a sort of turquoise. The vampire's eyes looked turquoise.

"Hi!" I said, trying really hard to be my usual self, but I was too nervous and too excited… so my greeting came out breathy and high. I suddenly sounded like Britney Spears… yikes! "Can I get you anything? We have some True Blood," I offered.

Blond vampire dude half smiled at me. He seemed to be either thinking about what I'd just said, or he was otherwise assessing me. If I wanted to keep my wits about me, I had to think he was making beverage choices. He had been hunched a little, sitting with his elbows on the table, but in a quick move he squared his shoulders and sat fully erect in his chair. He was so tall, even sitting, that he was almost my height.

Before he could order, Sam was at my shoulder. "Eric, nice to see you. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

Apparently Sam knew this vampire. Interesting… and something I would have to ask about later.

"I came to see how you were doing. I haven't heard from you in a while. I hope all is well," the vampire, whose name now I knew was Eric, made a quick motion to Sam, asking him to sit down across from him with merely a flick of a hand.

"Sookie, bring Mr. Northman a True Blood, O Neg, warmed up like I showed you," Sam said as he sat across from Eric the Vampire.

I nodded quickly and headed to the bar to warm up the blood. Sam had said a bottle straight from the fridge needed a full minute in the microwave to be warm enough. I had to pop the lid and save it, so I could use it to cover the bottle again to shake it after heating it. The only thing Sam hadn't specified was the use or non-use of a glass. I was trying to decide whether to bring a glass with me or not when Arlene approached me.

"Who's the big dude talking to Sam? Do you know?" she asked me in a conspiratorial tone. I didn't think she had figured out that the big dude was a vampire, so I didn't say anything. It was exciting for me, but I could understand if it wasn't exciting for _everyone_.

"No, I don't know," I said. Of course, once I took the blood out of the microwave, Arlene gasped and remained speechless.

I decided to take an empty glass in case Eric the Vampire wanted to pour his blood in it. I put the blood on the table but dropped the glass and the tray on the floor, making all sorts of racket and breaking the glass. I had just been mentally buffeted by both Rattrays' thoughts regarding this vampire and what they wanted to do to him. It was such a gory image, things they'd done to others, things they wanted. They wanted Eric the Vampire's blood. They wanted to drink it. They wanted to kill him. Kill him again.

Sam was at my side immediately. He'd seen my face, he could tell what was wrong, God bless him. All I could see were the images in my head, images full of such gore that I could barely believe they were real.

"Sookie, speak chere," Sam whispered in my ear, holding me tight because otherwise I would have sagged onto the floor.

I looked into Eric the Vampire's eyes. He was doing that weird assessment thing, but I could barely think about that now. I couldn't let the Rattrays attack him.

"They want to drain you," I said in the lowest whisper I could muster.

Eric's frown was scary as he leaned over the table closer to me. "Tell me who."

"The people behind me. The man and the woman." I was beginning to shake trying to shield myself from all the images coming from the Rattrays and whatever mental chatter I was getting from Sam.

Eric's eyes turned murderous, but he barely reacted other than that. I couldn't feel sorry for the Rattrays. They had murdered Eric's kind to drain them of their blood. Apparently they were blood users themselves, no better than crack addicts. Worse actually, much, much worse.

"Are you alright, Sookie?" Eric the Vampire asked, his eyes softening a little as he asked the question. Mine got wide as saucers. _He knows my name_, I thought surprised.

Sam let go of me after sitting me on the chair he had previously occupied. I took a deep breath and noticed an unusual amount of mental nothing coming from the chair across me. I explored it further and found out that I couldn't read Eric's mind. Not at all. It was just one big void. I relaxed into the silence of his mind and answered him in all sincerity. "I'm much better, thank you."

"I'll bring you some water," Sam said, leaving me sitting there across from Eric the really big Vampire. From the corner of my eye I saw that Sam made a motion to Dawn, one of the other waitresses, to come help out at my section.

"How do you know what they're planning?" Eric asked, still leaning across the table so he could keep his voice low.

I leaned forward as well, so I could answer him silently. "I could… sort of… read it in their minds."

"Are you psychic or telepathic?" Eric asked. He looked genuinely curious, and not put off by my freakishness. Why a vampire would be so interested in my curse was beyond me, but whatever. Vampires were "other." I was "other." _We should all be friends_, I thought.

"Telepathic," I answered succinctly, and Eric nodded knowledgeably, like I was fascinating but not completely unique.

"You must be more careful with your gift," he said, but I wasn't sure what he meant, so I just nodded looking down at my hands on the table. The silence from his mind was a soothing balm. I would have loved to spend lots of time around vampires, if only for the silence. Nobody else in my head but me.

"What I mean," he continued, "is that perhaps you should shield yourself better. What did you see that upset you?" His voice was still low, but now it was grave. He wanted proof.

The Rattrays had been so evil, that I didn't think twice before telling Eric the horrible images that were now part of my memory. I did it in a low fast whisper, but he seemed to have gotten all the finer points. Sam had returned halfway through my account, and remained to listen.

"Don't worry, Sookie. Mr. Northman is in a position to help. He will take care of it," Sam said when I finished speaking. I had no doubt that Eric would take care of it. I just didn't want to think too much about it.

"Thank you for your help, Sookie," Eric the Vampire said. I had the distinct impression that I was being dismissed.

"Why don't you go home? You've had a rough day" Sam offered. Any other day, I would have just pushed on through, but today had been so bad, I just wanted to rest.

Sitting with Eric had been a treat for my overworked brain. I wondered if there was any place where I could hang out with vampires. I knew there were vampire bars, and I wondered if humans were allowed, and could I go to one without becoming somebody's meal? I just wanted some respite, some peace. What they needed to have were vampire spas, someplace where I could get pampered in more ways than one… or, at least, I would.

"Hi, Gran!" I called out as I entered the house. I knew she was in the kitchen.

"Hello, sweetheart! I'm in the kitchen," she called out to me. I chuckled and dragged my sorry butt over there to give her a hug and a kiss.

"I didn't expect you so early. Are you alright? Are you hungry?" my Gran asked.

"I'm okay. It was a very busy, very hard day for me, so Sam sent me home early. I'm glad he did," I said. She didn't wait for me to answer her second question. She was already putting together a plate of food for me.

"Guess what happened, though," I said, waiting for Gran to say her usual.

"What happened?"

"We got a visit from a vampire. He was huge, well over six feet tall, with long blond hair and really pretty blue eyes. Sam knew him, can you believe that?" I asked my Gran. I was actually starting to get a little excited about the visit.

"I can believe it. Sam is a businessman, he knows a lot of people. Tell me about the vampire. Was he cute?" she asked, looking almost as young as she sounded.

"Cute isn't the right word. More like beautiful. His skin looked very soft, and he had a beautiful face, for a man, you know?"

"Who did he remind you of?" she asked, trying to form a mental picture.

I racked my brain for a suitable image. How do you describe a vampire in human terms? Words failed. One had to say what was missing, and there were no words to describe what was left. "Remember that mini-series you liked, about the reporter who went to Iraq with the Marines?" Gran nodded excited. She enjoyed war stories, no matter the war. To her the stories weren't entertaining, but enlightening. "Remember the sergeant? Eric looked like that actor, sort of."

"And did he talk to you?"

"Yes he did. He was polite," I said noncommittally. I didn't want to make Gran upset about the things I'd seen from the Rattrays, or the things I was almost positive Eric would do to them.

I ate the rest of my dinner while Gran wondered who had moved into old Mr. Compton's place because she had seen a light. Then she was saying something about Mrs. Bellefleur and her famous chocolate cake that she had brought to someone's funeral. Gran also filled me in on the latest antics of the Descendants of the Glorious Dead, who behaved more like crazy retirees than serious history buffs. It was nice to listen to her. Her mind was easy for me to block, and even when things drifted, they were mostly innocent wonderings, mostly about the house or Jason or me.

I dressed in my soft Mickey Mouse nightgown, the one I'd had since I was twelve or thirteen. My bed was calling, even though it was barely nine in the evening. Unfortunately when my head hit the pillow, the back of my eyelids were filled with the horrible images from the Rattrays' minds. How could people be so cruel? And so stupid? Because, invariably, vampire drainers ended up drained.


	2. Something Wicked This Way Comes

**A/N**: Reviews make me sooo happy! Thank you! Gracias! Et Merci!

**Chapter 2 – Something Wicked This Way Comes**

I barely slept. That's the curse of being a mind reader: you get to dream about somebody else's life while trying (in vain, I might add) to consolidate yours. I woke up several times after either bad dreams or weird dreams. You know… why couldn't I have some wishful-thinking dreams? Why couldn't Eric the Vampire have made an appearance in my dreams? Was that really too much to ask?

During one of my wakeful moments I realized that everything outside had gone utterly silent. There were no crickets, no froggies, no owls, not even the sound of the wind in the trees surrounding Gran's house. It was so quiet that the silence itself was pressing on my ears with a sort of whistling sound. I supposed a predator had passed by. Some of the men that came to the bar would tell stories about panthers and razorbacks. Most of the time I dismissed them, but that morning as I read the new entry in my Word of the Day calendar, I wondered if they were true. _Iniquity: a wicked act or thing._

I followed the scent of fresh coffee and looked out the kitchen window to see that Gran was already planting little things in her garden. She liked to do it early in the morning, she said, because she liked the way the air smelled. I wasn't sure what the air smelled like this morning, but for sure it was an absolutely gorgeous day. As soon as I was finished with breakfast and helping out Gran, I was headed for the sun.

I know, skin cancer and blah-di-blah… I don't smoke, drink, do drugs or have sex. I _have_ to die of something, and by golly I'm going to die tanned! That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Gran had left the newspaper on the table, and I started skimming through it while eating some cereal. The first page was saying something about some rogue tornado that had overturned a trailer and caused serious damage in the southern part of Bon Temps. Two people were killed. I scanned the names: Mack and Denise Rattray.

I almost choked on a Cheerio. What in the world? I looked closer at the grainy picture, and it looked like a tree had been uprooted and dropped on the trailer lengthwise. A car had been wrapped around another nearby tree. Things from inside and outside the trailer were strewn here and there.

Well, it wasn't up to me to tell the investigators that there was no way in Heaven or Hell that a tornado did that. My money was on a pissed off vampire. I had been up during the night. I would have heard the wind or the rain. But there was neither. It was hard to believe that a vampire was strong enough to do all that, yet I wasn't going to discount it completely.

The funny part was that I wanted to feel guilty. I really did. A good Christian woman would have felt guilty for the Rattrays' fate. I couldn't, not after the horrible things they had inflicted upon others. In my view, they had played with fire, and they'd gotten burned.

Another part of me was wondering if I'd done it to save the creature that had walked into the bar last night. I couldn't imagine anyone hurting someone so beautiful. Maybe I was having a crush because I couldn't hear his thoughts. Maybe his thoughts were the same as any other man's thoughts. Oh, well… I'd never know.

After folding some laundry I decided it was time to worship Mr. Sun. I was a little happy with myself because I had been able to wiggle into the size Small white bikini I hadn't worn in ages. Sure, if I wiggled too much my boobs would fall out, but my butt was staying covered. Yay, me!

Jason showed up about half an hour later, driving his monster of a truck. I was sure he was looking for grub, judging solely by the time of day.

"Yo, sis! Are you alright? Sam told me to check on you," Jason said, walking closer to me and blocking my sun.

I made a motion with my hands to tell him to move before I answered. "I'm fine. I was only tired last night. When did you see Sam?"

"Last night. I went to Merlotte's at around eight, but you had already left. I thought you were working a double. Sam was talking to some big dude, and everyone was saying he was a vampire and had talked to you. They said you sat at his table and everything."

"Yes, we spoke very briefly," that was all I was willing to concede.

"I don't like it Sookie. Why you have to go talk to some vamp?" Jason was spoiling for a fight. He was always looking for a fight, either with me or with somebody else. I was always an easy target, what with sibling rivalry and all.

"Listen, Jason, I wasn't talking to _some_ vamp. I felt sick and Sam asked me to sit in his chair while he got me a glass of water. It just so happens that Mr. Northman," at this Jason harrumphed. I ignored him, "was sitting across from that chair. He asked me if I was alright, something any polite person would have done, vampire or human. Got a problem with that?" My voice had gotten higher and louder as I spoke.

"Fine," Jason put his hands up in the air, like the victim of a holdup, and started walking away backwards. "I just don't want people thinking my sister's a fangbanger."

"Excuse me!" Oh, I was livid!

"I'm just telling you what people were saying last night."

"Not that is any of their business, or yours Jason Stackhouse, but no."

"Are you done antagonizing your sister?" Gran was standing rather close and had probably heard the whole conversation.

"Yes, ma'am," Jason answered, looking almost sorry. Almost.

"In that case you two come inside, lunch is ready."

We followed her inside the house. It smelled of fried chicken and fresh biscuits. She still fed us like she used to when we were kids. We tucked in for lunch and eventually Jason joined in the conversation like a regular person.

"Did you hear about that tornado, Gran?" he asked.

"I read it in the paper. Do you know anything more about it?" she asked Jason. I tried to stay completely uninvolved, just listening.

"The people that died, the Rattrays, were at the bar last night. That Denise was trying to come on to the vampire that was at Merlotte's last night," Jason said, and I felt my heart and stomach do a quick flip-flop. "But he wasn't having none of it, ignored her sorry ass."

"Jason!" both my Gran and I bellowed. There was no reason to be crass at the table.

"Alright, alright! Anyway, they left after the vampire and that was it for them," Jason finished.

I breathed a sigh of relief. Eric the Vampire was fine. The Rattrays would never bother me or fill my mind with their iniquity (my Word of the Day) ever again. I decided to never think about them ever again. Why give them immortality in that way?

"Did y'all hear about Maudette Pickens?" Jason was asking now.

"What happened to Maudette?" I asked. I remembered her. She used to work at the Grab It Quick, and had applied to work at Merlotte's not too long ago. She was one of those girls that were easily forgettable, I regret to say, but nice to me. I never forget people who are nice to me.

"They found her dead at her house. They think a vamp did it," Jason said.

I gasped, shocked, and immediately my mind went to working. "Was she drained?"

"No, they said she died of…" Jason drifted.

"Of what?" Gran pressed.

"Strangulation, during…"

"During what?"

"Sex."

"Oh, my!" That was me. I was the one who was taken aback by that. "So why do they say it was a vampire? I don't get it."

"Because they found bite marks on her, though they said they were older marks," Jason said.

There was a minute of silence. I felt really bad for Maudette. She wasn't a bad person, and she was young. "How did you hear about this? Was it in the paper?"

"Andy Bellefleur was talking about it last night at the bar, too loud if you ask me," Jason answered. Andy Bellefleur was one of two detectives we had in Bon Temps. It goes to show the level of professionalism of our police force. Things like that don't happen in _Law & Order_. "He said it was an accident during sex."

I shivered. An accident? During sex? What kind of accident could that be? I wasn't naïve, but who would agree to such a thing? Well, the who we knew: Maudette. So who had hurt her? I hoped Andy Bellefleur was going to actually do his job and quit talking out of his ass while he was drunk.

We kept bouncing ideas off each other while we finished lunch, and it was time for me to get ready for another night of work. At least I didn't have a double this time.

It was still warm enough for me to wear the summer Merlotte's uniform. I put on my shorts, my Keds, the white T-shirt with _Merlotte's_ stamped over the left breast, put my long hair up in a high pony tail, and bothered with a little mascara and tinted lip gloss. My tan looked awesome!

Sam was in his office when I arrived and asked me to close the door because he wanted to talk to me. I had a deep feeling of dread and wondered if last night was Sam's last straw putting up with my quirk.

"Sit down, Sookie, please," he said, pointing to a chair next to his desk. I sat and fidgeted. "How are you feeling today, Sookie? Did you rest?"

I frowned a little, confused. "Yes, I rested. I'm feeling much better, thank you."

Now Sam looked nervous himself. "I was wondering if I could ask you something. I don't want you to think I'm prying."

"Please Sam, ask me anything. You're making me nervous," I said, wanting to get it over with. Off with the Band-Aid!

"Can you hear vampire minds? Could you hear Mr. Northman's?" he asked, finally.

I thought about it, and saw no reason to not answer truthfully. "I couldn't read his mind. He was one big void, a blank. It was very peaceful."

Sam took a deep breath and leaned back in his chair. "I thought so."

"Is that good or bad?" I asked, unsure why he was asking.

"It's very good for you. Now you know that it doesn't have to be so noisy all the time."

I couldn't agree more.

"Would you like to go visit Mr. Northman's bar? He owns a vampire bar in Shreveport. Maybe a place like that would be better for you to work…"

"What?" I screeched. I admit, not my most ladylike moment.

"Sookie," Sam pleaded, "just listen to me for a moment, please." I nodded and he proceeded. "I see what working here does to you. I spoke to Eric, and when he saw you lose it he agreed to help. It's not that I want you to leave. I want you to be happy, to have some peace. You don't need to decide anything right away. I'm only asking you to go visit the bar one night, and see how you like it. If you don't like it, then you still have your job here."

I didn't say anything or answer. I stood from my seat, and left. Merlotte's was already busy with the after-work crowd, and the girls needed my help. Lafayette, our cook, was calling orders at the kitchen when he saw me grab an apron.

"Girl, it looks like you just seen a ghost. You okay?" he asked. He was the brightest person in the bar, quite literally. He was wearing a shocking pink tee, fuchsia jeans, and blue shoes. Where he'd found blue shoes to fit him, I had no idea. He was also wearing much more makeup than me. But his cooking was good, he was quick and efficient, and I liked him. He was honest.

"I think I might have," I said, forcing a smile.

"Nuh uh. Come here, give mamma some sugar," he said, holding his arms out. I went in for the hug. Touching people made me hear their thoughts whether I wanted to or not. Lafayette's thoughts were warm and full of comfort, and a little something about the food he was keeping track of. Pity he was gay. I could have dated someone with a mind like his.

Too bad it was a short rest. The remainder of the night went predictably wrong. My brother left with Dawn, Andy Bellefleur made an drunken appearance, everyone was talking (and thinking) about either Maudette or the Rattrays, and some were still marveling about the vampire that had come to visit.

And me… I wasn't sure whether to be mad at Sam for intruding, or feel touched that he was looking out for me. Since I refused to read his mind (he was my boss; there are limits), I wouldn't know his true intentions unless I asked him directly. Was he trying to get rid of me? I couldn't blame him. He was too good to fire me, I knew that.

If I was honest with myself, the invitation intrigued me enough to at least accept it, if only to see what a night surrounded by vampires would be like. Knowing I would accept it, I started thinking about what to wear, how I would do my hair and makeup, and if I should bring somebody with me.

"Sookie?" Sam called to me. I was almost to my car. We had closed up shop for the night. I turned and looked at him expectantly.

"Have you thought about going to Eric's bar?" he asked, looking around us a little nervous. I wondered why, but answered his question first.

"Yes, I gave it some thought. I think it would be a good idea to check it out, even if you went behind my back to set it up," I said, still a little peeved.

He didn't take the bait. He knew I was spoiling for a fight. Maybe I was more like my brother than I cared to admit. "Alright. I'll call Eric. When are you going?"

"Tomorrow," I said immediately. I was scheduled to work, but screw it. This was Sam's idea; he would have to live with the consequences.

He moved faster than me and was on his cell phone before I knew it. "Eric? It's Sam. Sookie will be there tomorrow." There was a brief pause. Was Eric giving Sam instructions concerning me? This was going to get old quick.

"I'll let her know. Good night," Sam hung up and looked at me. "Eric said to give your name at the door so you won't have to pay the cover."

"They pay cover? Is it a bar or a club?" I asked a little concerned. I was expecting a bar closer to Merlotte's, but it sure didn't sound like that.

"They don't serve food, Sookie. Vampires don't eat. So it's more like a club, and they have a dance floor," Sam explained.

I was a little apprehensive, but swallowed it and nodded curtly. Then I went home. I was done.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Alright, soooo… My choice of dress hadn't been exactly smart. Oh, I looked good! It was a white dress with big red flowers scattered over the fabric. I was wearing tall red heels, my hair half up, and I had spent some time doing my makeup just right. Unfortunately, I wouldn't fit in Eric's bar any more than Eric would fit in a Sunday church brunch. _Oh, well… too late now_, I thought, as I followed a very tall vampire woman to the back of Fangtasia.

The name of the bar was witty, I thought. It was like the vampires didn't take themselves too seriously. The outside was just a gray mass in the middle of a strip mall, dotted with red doors. The inside was even darker, with black walls and shots of red here and there. All the chairs were red, for instance. The booths had lights with red shades. The top of the bar was red. And the final and more important part of the restaurant: two chairs that looked more like thrones upholstered in (you guessed it) red, sitting on a raised dais at the far end of the dance floor.

Eric was sitting on the left chair (or, actually, I supposed that was stage right, huh?), and a beautiful petite blonde was sitting on the right chair. Both were glowing dimly in the bar's gloom, and both were regarding something or somebody at their feet with contempt. They were both dressed in black. Eric had black slacks, and a black button down dress shirt with a black tie, and the blonde was wearing a gauzy black dress, a la Elvira. I was positive this is not how they dressed usually. I distinctly remembered Eric had been wearing jeans and a T-shirt the night before.

Eric looked up first, his blue eyes widening considerably when he saw me. I gave him a polite smile while the tall vampire announced me. The blonde sitting next to Eric switched her gaze to me as well, and I immediately wished she hadn't. She looked like she had just seen one giant beignet.

The thing they had been looking at was a man who was trying to kiss the blonde's boots. She gave him a quick shove on the shoulder, losing her patience, and he left. I shielded myself quickly, because I really didn't want to know what he was thinking. At all.

"Sookie, how nice to see you," Eric said getting up from his chair in a move that was extremely graceful, considering his size. He extended his hand to me. At first I thought he was going to shake my hand, but quickly realized he meant to kiss it. Oh, boy! What had I gotten myself into?

"Sookie, this is Pam, my second," Eric said, pointing at the blonde.

"Aren't you sweet?" Pam said to me. Her fangs were starting to come out in slow motion. I'd never seen it in person, so I was a little anxious, but I didn't let it show.

"Not particularly," I answered her, and then bit my tongue.

Apparently there was no danger. Eric let go a big guffaw at my side and Pam's fangs came out fully, though she was smiling wide. I was comic relief.

"Come, let me show you my bar," Eric said, not letting go of my hand. Maybe vampires were touchy-feely creatures? I usually wasn't, since thoughts transferred so easily through touch. Eric's hand was cool and soft, and there were no thoughts coming through. This was what normal people felt like.

Eric walked us to the bar and introduced me to Long Shadow the main bartender, a vampire who looked American Indian, with a flat nose, thick lips and long black hair. He had on a pair of black jeans, a black vest, and nothing else. The other bartender was a short black-haired beauty who looked like she could rip somebody's throat if that somebody even thought of talking to her. Thalia, Eric said later conspiratorially, was a very old vampire. She was created during the height of Greece, and she didn't have much patience left.

By the time Eric told me this we were sitting at a booth towards the back of the bar. He was sipping on a True Blood and I was very carefully nursing a white wine. I relaxed into Eric's mind-silence and enjoyed his company.

"And may I ask how old you are?" I asked him, figuring if he had told me Thalia's age, maybe he would tell me his.

"I was a Viking when I was turned," he answered cryptically. I may be blond, and I may have this stupid disability, but I'm not stupid. Vikings haven't been around for about eight or nine hundred years. I knew that much.

"Wow…" I breathed out before I could stop myself. "Can I ask you something?"

Eric smiled and looked like a seductive devil. "You can ask me anything. That does not mean I will answer."

_Oookay…_ I leaned forward a little so I could lower my voice. Eric mimicked my movement and we ended up mere inches away. "Did you… do that… to the Rattrays?" I asked, not quite wanting to say _did you kill 'em_. That would have been rude, I think.

Eric arched an elegant eyebrow but otherwise didn't move.

I put my hands up in surrender and backed off a little. "Okay, alright, rogue tornado it is. People who mess with the weather have no hope of sunny skies."

Eric chuckled and sat up straight, hands behind his head. The perfect picture of ease. "How do you like my bar so far?" he asked.

I had already given it some careful thought, because I knew the question was coming. They played a radio station over the speaker system, WDED, so that right there meant there was no control over the music. That might be a drawback, except I wouldn't have to listen to the same song over and over. There was a good ratio of human to vampire patrons, not enough to relax my mind completely, but it would definitely offer a bit of rest. So far the vampires had been quite polite to me, and they seemed to be polite to the rest of the human servers as well. It was the human patrons who were looking for the wicked vampire side, and the vampires were happy to oblige.

"I think it's very nice. I'm a little more used to Merlotte's, where they serve food, but I'm sure I can handle just drinks," I said smiling.

Eric smiled back, but it looked like he was trying not to. "Do you think you can work here?"

"I'm a little concerned about the commute. It's kind of long," I said, trying to hide the fact that I was more worried about my car not being able to make the round trip every night, than the actual commuting time.

"The pay is higher here. It would be better for you," he said, weighing in the pros.

"Do I have to wear one of those dresses?" I asked, looking sideways at one of the servers. She was wearing a dress not unlike Pam's.

"Sookie… it covers more than your Merlotte's uniform," Eric countered. He was right.

"I can't believe I'm about to say this," I took a deep breath, gathering my courage. It would be a change, one for the better. My brain needed rest, and this was the way to get it, other than staying home. "I would like to work here, Eric, if you'll hire me." I cringed a little.

"You're hired," he said. There had been no hesitation.

**A/N**: Things are gonna start picking up soon. :-D


	3. And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

**A/N: **Thanks again to all who have read, reviewed, "favorited" (YES, it's a word, maybe), and story-alerted my little story. Y'all are amazing!

Sookie was always destined to be manipulated by supes. She only had her cousin to thank for that. Hadley, pretty much, screwed Sookie over. So… with that in mind, on with the screwing!

**Chapter 3 – And a Partridge in a Pear Tree**

"What did your grandmother say?" Sam asked. His hair was looking particularly curly tonight.

"She's fine with it, actually. She's more concerned about the commute than where I'll be working," I answered.

The girls at Merlotte's had put together a little farewell party for me, which was awfully nice, considering I was going to leave them short-handed for a few nights before the new waitress was ready to start. Normally we didn't have farewell parties for anybody, but I had worked there for five years and they felt it was needed. Plus, I suspected Arlene was trying to give me a chance to change my mind. She didn't have anything against vampires, per se, but… let's just say: it's the south, old habits die hard.

Lafayette had made me tell him _everything_ about my first visit to Fangtasia. He ended up hooting with laughter when I described my outfit. "Like a candle in a coal mine," he'd said.

"More like a sore thumb," I countered.

"Sort of like him," Lafayette nodded towards the front door of Merlotte's.

Lafayette was right. There was no way that the huge blond vampire was ever going to fit in Bon Temps. The guy belonged in Northern Europe, not Northern Louisiana. He searched the room briefly before making a bee line for me.

"Sookie. Did I crash your party?" Eric asked.

"Um…" Yeah, I know. The height of eloquence. I tried again. "It's just a little get together. The girls wanted to say goodbye. Would you like a True Blood?" So I wasn't waiting tables tonight, that didn't mean my manners had gone out the window.

"No, thank you. I already ate," he said… and I got chills. Did he mean _eat_ eat? Or had he already had a True Blood?

"So, what brings you here?" I pressed. If he didn't come to Merlotte's to get a drink, then why did he come? To partake in the festivities? I highly doubted it.

"I wanted to speak to you, but you didn't answer your phone," he explained. Yeah, like that made sense.

"Oh… it's in my purse in Sam's office," I paused, processing. "So you came all the way here from Shreveport instead of waiting for me to check my messages?"

Eric rose to his full height and crossed his arms over his chest. "I deemed it important," he said, daring me to say something to the contrary.

"Of course." I made my face look like I meant my statement, but mentally I was rolling my eyes. This was my new boss, though. Whatever floated his bubble. "Let me go ask Sam if we can use his office briefly."

Sam agreed, though he'd looked as confused as me. Eric followed me to the office and I checked my phone. I had twenty missed calls and five messages. Whoa!

"Please tell me this wasn't you," I held up my phone to Eric.

"I was concerned. Pam told me your car was not working well and there was some worry about your commute to work."

I frowned. This was a little creepy. "Eric… Twenty missed phone calls is a little obsessive. I'm alright, as you can see. And my car is okay. My brother checked it out yesterday."

"When I arrived I saw a puddle of motor oil below it."

Oh, shit! "What do you mean?" My heart started sinking fast. I knew the thing burned oil, but I didn't know it was spewing it. I didn't have money to replace it. And Jason said it was fine!

Eric didn't answer my question because he saw me panicking. "I have come to tell you that you can avail yourself of one of our company cars until you can replace yours."

"What do you mean?" I asked again. What was I, suddenly? The CEO of Fangtasia? Was this charity? It better not be charity.

"I mean that everyone at Fangtasia can request the use of one of the company cars when the need arises, and you have a need that has risen."

I didn't know what to say. Should I make a stink and take care of the car thing myself? And if so, how was I going to take care of it? I simply didn't have the money. Or should I be gracious and accept the use of the car? Would Eric expect something from me in gratitude? There was no way to find out other than to ask him. I'd seen the other Fangtasia waitresses preening in front of all the vampires, but I just wasn't that kind of person.

"I take great pride in keeping my people safe, Sookie," Eric said, apparently getting exasperated with my lack of answer. "I do not feel like coming to get you from the side of the road at two in the morning. I am a busy man."

"Alright, Eric. Thank you, I'll use the car until I can replace mine," I said, blowing out a big puff of air.

"And this," he took my phone from my hand in a blur of motion. I'd never seen anyone move so fast. "Stays here," in another quick motion he turned me around and stuck the phone in one of the back pockets of my jeans, patting my butt for good measure.

I was… what was that Word of the Day? Flabbergasted! Had he just touched my butt? Did he just move that fast? I didn't know whether to be mad, mortified, or awed. I could feel my cheeks starting to burn.

"Hand," he ordered, and I stretched out my hand, still in a daze. He deposited a key attached to a Fangtasia keychain. The key was huge, and had little buttons on it that would open the doors or the trunk of the car. "Pam insisted you use this particular car. She said it was the most reliable of the fleet. Make sure you thank her tomorrow."

Did he really just remind me of my manners? "Of course I will thank her. And thank you too for coming. Is the car outside?"

"Yes. I will show you." Eric took my hand and I had no choice but to follow him out Merlotte's back door. Apparently the hand holding thing was his standard m.o. I should just get used to it.

Parked next to my poor car was a Toyota Prius. I almost laughed imagining the huge guy next to me folding himself to fit inside the smallish car. However, I held the laughter in. It really was thoughtful of them to lend me a car, particularly one that would use so little gasoline.

"I will have your car towed to your house. You should donate it to charity and get the tax deduction," Eric chimed. He sounded almost giddy. "And I will see you tomorrow first thing. Pam sent a uniform to your house this evening."

"She doesn't know my size," I protested and bit my tongue. It really did not become me to burst out saying the first thing that popped into my brain.

"Pam is a good guesser. Good night," said Eric, before he kissed my cheek and took to the sky.

He literally took to the sky.

He flew. Like up in the air! He could fly!

"Sookie?" Sam had come to check on me.

"He can fly, Sam! He just…" I made a motion with my hands, indicating some sort of zooming motion.

"Who, Eric?"

I nodded. Words failed.

"Yeah, he's a bit of a show off."

"I would show off too if I could fly," I mumbled. Why couldn't barmaids fly? Why was it reserved for large vampires? I was full of questions tonight, most of which had no ready answer.

"Why did he come?" asked Sam, trying not to sound curious and failing completely. What was the word? Nonchalant. Yeah, he wasn't it.

"When I was filling out paperwork with Pam, I must have said something about my car and the commute, and Pam told Eric to let me use one of the company cars. So here it is," I pointed to the Prius, "and a good thing too. My car sprung a leak."

Sam went to look at the underside of my car and made a little "hmph" type of noise. "Did you see your car smoking when you got here?"

"No. I would have told you or called Jason. He said he'd checked everything."

"I'm sure he did. But it's an old car. It was bound to give you serious trouble sooner or later."

I shrugged. I knew some about cars, but not enough. Eric said he was having it towed, so I'd have Jason look at it again. End of story.

At the end of the party I went home a little tired. Gran was waiting up and looked a little excited. She greeted me and practically shoved me to the kitchen.

"I made you a tea to help you sleep," she said. It was her famous chamomile with a touch of brown sugar.

"Thanks Gran. Why are you so jumpy?"

"I just had the most wonderful conversation with our new neighbor. He works for Eric and was delivering your new uniforms, and I invited him in and got to talking. He lives in old Mr. Compton's house. He's actually old Mr. Compton's great-great grandpa!" Gran was practically hopping.

It didn't take me much to add things up. "You invited a vampire into the house when you were here by yourself?"

"Little lady, I am an adult! He was a perfectly polite gentleman, and he's our neighbor. He knew this house, even! His name is Mr. Bill Compton, and he was around when our ancestors built both these houses," she was referring to ours and old Mr. Compton's place, which was next to us and separated by a cemetery.

She began telling me about everything he had said, about the War (that would be the Civil War), and that Mr. Compton was going to talk at a meeting of the Descendants of the Glorious Dead. She had set it all up. I couldn't believe her boldness.

"Gran, next time wait 'til I'm here when you invite a vampire in the house."

"And what are you going to do? You're not stronger than one, or faster," she pointed out a little peeved with me.

"No, but I can un-invite like nobody's business," I said and smiled, trying to lighten her mood. "I got to tell you something too."

She looked at me the same way she always looked at me when I'd done something wrong, but didn't say anything and let me continue.

"My car is broken and my new boss, Pam, had another delivered to me tonight," I said, but I didn't really want to go into specifics.

"What do you mean she had one delivered? To keep it?" she asked arching an eyebrow. I was really in trouble now. Any minute now she was going to tell me to give it back.

Um… Whoops! "No, no, to borrow. It's a company car and it belongs to Fangtasia. They'll let me use it until I get mine fixed."

Her eyebrow un-arched and I breathed a sigh of relief. "In that case that was very nice of her."

Yes, very nice of Pam indeed. Yet there was one thing that nagged me. If everything about accepting the car was so right, why was I keeping the details from Gran?

In my bedroom I found a garment bag, and inside five gauzy black dresses. I really didn't want to see what size Pam had guessed I was, but when I tried one on it fit perfectly. Next to the garment bag was a large brown shopping bag with two shoe boxes. They were from Naturalizer. I'd seen the store at the mall in Monroe, but when I'd ventured in I quickly realized I couldn't afford their shoes. Now I was the proud owner of two sets of patent leather red pumps. They looked exactly like the ones the other waitresses had been wearing. There was a note on Fangtasia letterhead inside one of the shoeboxes: _We encourage red accessories. Regards, Pam_

Wow… They were really working their black and red theme, huh? Okey-dokey.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fangtasia was hopping. My first day working was a Saturday. There's nothing like starting a new job on the busiest day. Golly! Oddly enough, I was used to the amount of people. Sometimes Merlotte's would fill up to the rafters, particularly during World Series, Superbowl, or March Madness. But all these people were here to party hearty. I ended up dropping my mental shields once in a while, just out of curiosity. It was interesting how I could pick out the vampire brains within the crowd. They were round voids within a sea of emotions.

Emotions were really all it amounted to. Very few people were actually thinking clearly by the time midnight came around. That's when Eric the Great Vampire made his entrance to sit on his throne. Both women and men were having lustful thoughts directed at the stage, but nothing concrete. Alcohol tended to blur thoughts a bit, which was fine with me. Tonight Eric was joined by Indira, an absolutely gorgeous Indian vampire. I'd met her earlier and couldn't keep my eyes off her. Her skin was dark like caramel, but her eyes were sea blue. I don't like girls, I like guys for sure, but I can certainly appreciate beauty.

"Should I tell Indira you're interested?" Pam had caught me staring.

"No, Pam. I don't swing that way," I said to her rolling my eyes.

"Pity," she said with a wicked smile. Most of the time Pam was as serious as a grave (hee, hee!), so when she smiled it was because she was thinking trouble. "Perhaps you were looking at Eric instead. Should I tell _him_ you're interested?"

"Pam, please. He's the boss," I hissed.

"You seem to think that matters somehow. Do not worry, Sookie. I see you're different than the others, and that's a good thing. You're like a breath of fresh air." Her statement would have carried the right connotation if she hadn't taken a deep breath of the air around me.

I decided to ignore the gesture and stick with the words. "Thanks, Pam."

"What I came to say is that you seem to be doing an excellent job so far. 'Dear Abby' says we should compliment others when it is merited." Pam's face had gone back to stoic as she said this to me. It was as if she'd been put out to give a compliment. And…

"Did you say you read 'Dear Abby'?" I asked surprised.

"Doesn't everybody?" she said with a dismissive flick of her hand.

"Yes, of course," I said. Well, _I_ read "Dear Abby," but I wasn't _everybody_. These vampires were a riot. I wanted to laugh so hard I had to pretend to do something else.

In pretending to do something else, and with my mental shields still scanning the room, I heard a distinct thought of a very official nature. I turned back to Pam immediately, who was still at my side scanning the room but with her eyes.

"Pam. There's a cop here. They're planning a raid," I said in a hushed whisper. She turned to me and nodded, her face as stoic as ever.

"What are they looking for?" she asked. She was already not looking at me, but seemed to be communicating with Eric across the room. At the very least, they were looking at each other intently.

"The cop saw a vampire and a human head into the bathrooms. As far as I can tell that's all that they will find," I answered.

"Stay here. Do not leave this table's side, do you hear me?" she said, and with that she was gone, a blur of black dress and gold hair. I seemed to me she'd gone to the bathrooms.

Immediately I felt a cold breeze by my side. It was Indira. Actually, it seemed like each server had sprouted her own vampire escort.

"Just a precaution," she said and smiled at me. I had to smile back. She would win every beauty contest if she ever entered any. Actually, there was talk that Donald Trump was setting up the first ever Miss Vampire Universe.

I'd never seen a raid before, but apparently it was a structured thing. First they asked everybody to show their ID's upon exiting the building, and in the meantime they would check the back rooms. Then they would ask us a few standard questions. The servers didn't need to card at the tables because it was done at the door. Everyone had to swipe their ID into a little machine, and the information on the ID had to match the ID itself, or that person wouldn't be allowed in. So the cops didn't find any underage drinking. They didn't find any illegal blood drinking either, and _that_, Pam said later, was thanks to me.

We were in Eric's office where she was writing me a check for my share of tips. That's how they did it in Fangtasia and I wasn't going to argue. It's much better to tuck a check aside than a wad of cash. When I looked at the check, however, I was floored.

"Pam… I think your math skills leave much to be desired. I'm pretty sure I didn't make three thousand dollars in tips," I said, handing her the check back, or rather, attempting to.

"You had a little over five hundred in tips, plus half of the fine," she said, looking at me like I should have known that. Okay, five hundred in tips was outrageous enough.

"What fine?"

"The fine we would have incurred if it weren't for your gift. Now, go home Sookie."

"I can't take this money." I tried to hand her the check again, but she was having none of it.

Pam leveled me with her gaze. "Sookie Stackhouse, you will put that check in your purse right this minute before I do it myself." My God! She sounded like Gran! I did as she said and she smiled beatifically. "And you better cash it before the week is over. Good night."

I walked to the Prius in a daze. Next they would name me CEO of Fangtasia. I just knew it. Eric was leaning against the Prius, arms crossed over his chest, looking thoughtfully into the middle distance between himself and another car parked farther away. A red Corvette.

"Eric," I said silently. He seemed to have been deep in thought. I didn't want to interrupt, but sometime tonight I wanted to go home, and for that I had to move the car. Couldn't do that with a vampire leaning on it.

He blinked, coming back into himself. "Sookie. I wanted to thank you for alerting Pam to the raid. Pam also told me you had done a good job all night."

"No problem and thank you," I said, addressing both points.

"Soon I will have to ask you for a favor and you will have to use your gift. I know it is hard on you, and that is why I don't mind compensating you when you do," he explained.

"Oh," was all I could say. People had taken advantage of my "gift" all the time without compensating me, and they went in a roundabout way of asking. Like when Arlene had tried to get me to read her ex's mind to see if he was going to leave her. She'd simply said "I wonder if he's leaving," and that was my cue that I should start listening in on his thoughts. She was cross with me for a week because I had refused. At least Eric was being up front with his request, and even seemed to understand that it was difficult for me. "I'll help," I said finally. I was always a sucker for honesty.

"Thanks again, Sookie. Now, come on. Let's get you home," he said and pushed away from the car, waiting for me to unlock it so he could open the driver's side door for me.

The minute I settled in my seat I had a very big vampire head just inches from mine. I was trying to figure out what was wrong when he stole a quick kiss from my lips. He had my door closed faster than I could process the fact that he'd just kissed me.


	4. With You in My Head

**A/N**: Thank you all for reading my story. I noticed that Chapter 3 elicited quite a bit of reviews. Why y'all so mad that Eric's up to no good with Sookie? Remember she went all gaga for Bill in Book 1, and he wasn't half as nice as Eric ever was. I'm planning lemons, y'all. Poor girl has GOT to get laid at some point. But she won't make it easy for anybody. 'S all I'm sayin'… except for gushing at everybody who's reading, favoriting, alerting, and reviewing my story. Who rocks? Y'ALL DO!

**Chapter 4 – With You in My Head**

Gran was cooking lunch, Jason was checking my bum car, and I was lying in the sun trying to take a nap, unsuccessfully. I had been sifting through my feelings, always an unwelcomed prospect. Mainly I was trying to figure out what Eric was about. It was usually very easy for me to figure out what a man wanted from me. Obviously with Eric that wasn't possible. I had two issues: did he like me, like to date me? Or did he like me, like to eat me? Or both? I had no idea. Was Eric like my brother, looking for a quick romp in the sack and not much else? My own insecurity made me ask this question last: did I like him? To me that question carried the least weight.

"Holy God, Sookie! What did you do to this car?" Jason called out from somewhere inside the piece of metal.

"I didn't do anything!" I called out from my spot, resenting the allegation that I had _done_ something to the car.

"The whole engine block is cracked. You need a whole new engine, but in this case I'd say a whole new car," Jason closed the hood with finality.

"How much is an engine?" I asked. After all, I had a three thousand dollar check in my purse, waiting for the banks to open on Monday.

"I dunno… Like four thousand. But your car's not worth it, sis. Might as well put the money aside and get another car. This car's worth five hundred bucks, tops." I spared a glance at my poor car/chunk-of-metal. Jason was wiping the hood where his greasy fingers had left marks. "Keep using the vamps' car until you set some money aside and I'll help you find another car," he sighed. It had been his car first, and he'd given it to me when he bought his truck. Now it was no more.

During lunch I told Gran and Jason all about my new job. Well, almost all. I didn't want them to worry about the raid, because it had been a non-incident.

"Sookie looked like a blond Elvira when she left last night," Gran told Jason. She had seen me in my outfit, and had liked the fact that my boobs were a little more covered up in the dress than in the Merlotte's T-shirt. Plus, the dress was long so it covered my thighs and legs (long slit down the left leg notwithstanding), something the Merlotte's shorts didn't do.

"Yeah! Those dresses are badass," Jason commented, earning himself surprised looks from Gran and me.

"You've been to Fangtasia?" I asked.

"Sure. I checked it out when it first opened, and I go there once in a while," Jason admitted. Huh, who knew? "I like the little vampire with the long blond hair. She's cute."

Cute wasn't the word I would have used to describe Pam. "That's Pam. She's my boss."

"I thought the big guy was your boss."

"He's the owner, so he's everybody's boss," I said, feeling my stomach do a little flip-flop remembering the stolen kiss from the night before. Suddenly I lost my appetite. I was going to have to talk to Eric to figure him out. I couldn't go around acting like a fool with a crush, or holding up a daisy and plucking petals: "he likes me, he likes me not." All this over a little kiss. Ridiculous.

After Jason left, I decided to come clean with my Gran. I told her about the raid and the money I had earned.

"I want to give you some of it," I said, pleading now because Gran was shaking her head vehemently. That had been my Word of the Day, and here I was having a chance to use it.

"Absolutely not. It's about time somebody valued your gift. Besides, we don't want for anything, and you just paid for the new roof," she argued. It was true. I had painstakingly set money aside and paid cash for the new tin roof we had on our house. It was the least I could do, since Gran wouldn't take money for rent, and barely ever let me pay for groceries or electricity. "And you need a new car," she added.

"Yes, ma'am," I said, giving in. I would just sneak the electric bill when she wasn't looking.

That night Fangtasia was busy, but not like Saturday night. I was starting to really like working here. Because there were barely any lulls of activity, the time went by fast. I had not heard the stupid "Bad Things" song at all, and nobody started up singing anything, much less in unison. And, to me at least, it was interesting to be here. I was learning a lot. For example, I didn't know that vampires had a sort of down time, when they became completely still. They passed the time that way if they needed to recharge batteries, sort of like a human nap, except they could do it with their eyes open. I was about to refresh a vampire patron's True Blood when Pam guided me away and explained the down time thing to me. I also learned exactly when vampires' fangs would come out, and it usually included some kind of extreme emotion: pain, lust, anger. Around Fangtasia the main emotion was lust, and I had a couple of lusty vampire stares come my way, although I had caught Thalia in one of her moods and she had shown me fang too. But that was because she was a nutcase.

Best of all, even though there were plenty of humans thinking plenty of thoughts, all I had to do to get some peace was approach a vampire. Every time I went to the bar I would relax into either Long Shadow's or Thalia's mind, sometimes into Pam's if she was nearby, sometimes into a customer's. I didn't have to work on shoring my shields as hard, and I wasn't going home mentally exhausted.

"You seem to be acclimating well," Eric said to me after we'd closed. He was writing my tips check tonight.

"I like it here," I said, with a little too much enthusiasm. I had just noticed that I was physically tired, but my mind felt sharp. Driving the forty five minutes to get home would be a breeze. I was looking forward to listening to my CD's in the Prius. My car had never had a CD changer.

"I am glad you do. Can you please come tomorrow? I know it's your day off, but I have that favor for you to do. It will be better if we do this on a night when the bar is closed," Eric looked at me expectantly. He feared I would say no, though I'd already agreed.

"I can come tomorrow. Same time as always?" I asked, getting nervous. I'd already made up my mind that I was going to ask Eric what his deal was, but I was turning chicken at the last minute. And now it seemed our conversation was drawing to a close.

"Yes."

"Eric, can I ask you something?" Too late I noticed that my question had come out all mumbled.

"You know my answer to that."

I nodded and gathered my courage. A chicken I was not. I was a woman, a grown one at that. I could do this. "Why did you kiss me last night? Is there something you want from me? Because if there is, I'm sorry. I just don't do that."

Eric looked surprised, but his expression softened a little. "I kissed you because you're beautiful. I want you to like me."

Well! No mincing words there. So I wouldn't either. "I like you already, though I don't know in what way you want me to like you." Ok, that wasn't articulate at all, but he got the gist because he rolled his eyes at me.

"The way a woman likes a man, Sookie," he said, explaining as if I were five years old instead of twenty five. Okay, twenty six.

"I can't do that Eric. You're my boss," I said vehemently. That was twice I got to use my Word of the Day.

"Pam is your boss," he said quickly and stood up. He was standing in front of me before I had a chance to blink. "You don't want me to kiss you?"

I gulped. Of course I wanted him to kiss me: he was gorgeous! With the added bonus that touching him wouldn't transmit any of his thoughts to me, a major drawback to kissing human males. My mind was hopping, desire and common sense warring and vying for equal amounts of attention.

Before I knew it he was kissing me again and my brain shut off. It wasn't one of those passionate kisses I'd read in my books. This one was sweet and deliberate, as if he was trying not to scare me. I tried not to respond, but my traitor lips matched his, kiss for kiss. One of his hands held my face in place while the other caressed my hair, and my own hands found their way to his massive shoulders.

He pulled away first. It was a good thing too, because I was enjoying this new feeling a little too much. "See? You did want me to kiss you." Eric's fangs had run out a little, and his pupils had dilated almost encompassing the whole blue iris.

"I don't think it was the brightest idea," I muttered, short of breath.

"You may be right, but it wasn't the worst either. I enjoyed our kiss," he said smirking smugly, proud of either his kissing ability or catching me unaware yet again.

Suddenly the office was too small. I quickly turned away and left. Unfortunately I'd left without my purse or keys, so Eric had to follow to give them to me. I didn't dare look at his face again, so I simply grabbed my things from his hands and walked away. The car seemed to be way too far away, but I reached it without being followed. As I was backing out of my spot I noticed Eric was inside the red Corvette, waiting for me to get going. I got going and lost him on my way to the highway.

I'd kissed the boss. Holy shit, I'd kissed the boss. No, wait, it was worse. The boss had kissed me! But I kissed him back! Oh, the horror! I chastised myself every time I remembered how much I had actually enjoyed the kiss.

"Fuck!" I yelled inside the car and hit the steering wheel, making me swerve a little. "Sookie you can't kiss the boss. You'll end up losing the best job you've ever had, and then what are you gonna do?" I was talking to myself like a madwoman. At least I wasn't answering myself. "You're gonna go work back at Merlotte's so people can drive you nuts!" It was official. I had answered myself. I groaned in frustration.

"This is simple. I'll just tell him to keep his hands to himself and he'll have to do it. He wants to mainstream and there're laws against this. So there." It was like two people were holding a conversation: Sookie the Nut and Sookie the Half-Nut. It was a very fine distinction. "But you can't kiss him back, Sookie!"

I'm not happy to say that I kept talking to myself for the rest of my ride, and only shut up when I got inside the house. I didn't want to wake up Gran. And I'm sorry to say that I took some Benadryl to knock me out. I really didn't need a sleepless night.

"Sookie! You have company!" my Gran called from the living room. I'd been getting ready to go to Fangtasia to do Eric's favor. All I needed was shoes to go with my jeans and shirt. I didn't feel like dressing up and giving Eric something to look at, so I chose the baggiest jeans, the size 10's, and a shirt I mainly used to go to church, put my hair up in a ponytail, and declared myself ready.

"Be right there!"

In the living room I found Pam, seated neatly in one of the armchairs, and looking for all intents and purposes like a soccer mom. Her hair was held back by a band that matched her pink twin set perfectly, and she was wearing khakis and flats. It was so unlike the Fangtasia dress, that it took me a minute to realize it was the same woman.

"Hello, Pam. I was about to leave to go to Fangtasia," I said a little confused. Well, more than a little. I had made my Monday into a very busy day, so that I wouldn't think too much about the stupidity from the night before. All I had accomplished was getting a headache, because the more you don't want to think about something, the more you end up doing the exact opposite.

"I was in the neighborhood visiting Bill Compton. Have you met him? He's your neighbor," Pam said.

I smelled a rat. A big stinky fat rat, but I answered politely. "I haven't had the pleasure, but my grandmother did. Should we go? We shouldn't be late." I was trying to move things along, to get this favor thing over with. I'd taken an Advil before my shower, and it was starting to work, but in a few hours it would stop working and my headache would return… most probably with a vengeance, as nasty headaches are prone to do.

"Yes, we will go. A pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Stackhouse," Pam said, holding out her hand to Gran. I didn't know that Pam could be so charming. She was even smiling in a non-threatening way. She drove a Toyota, a big Avalon sedan. I'd half expected her to drive a minivan at this point.

In the car she started making small talk. Was she nervous? "Your grandmother is a lovely woman," she said, and I even detected a slight accent, an English one perhaps?

"Thank you," I answered.

"When is Bill doing his talk for her little group? I wouldn't want to miss it," Pam said. Was she kidding?

"It's next week, on Tuesday."

"We should go, you and me. I've never heard Bill talk about his human days."

"Pam…" I said her name with a warning in my voice. What was she doing?

"Oh, Sookie, not everyone's out to get you. I know what Eric did has you spooked, but don't take it so hard. He's used to taking what he wants and doesn't know there are things you don't take, things that you earn."

"How do you know about what happened?" was the first thing I was able to say after the shock of hearing Pam be so blunt.

"He tells me everything, and was concerned he'd made you mad or worse, scared."

"Is that why you came to get me?"

"That was part of it. But I really did see Bill." She reached over and patted my knee. The gesture was not exactly warm, because it was Pam, but I think she meant it to be. "Eric is sorry and won't do it again, but don't expect him to behave. He does like you. But we did promise to take care of you."

Again that rat was making an appearance. "Who did you promise?"

"Sam, of course," she answered immediately.

Yeah, right. Of course. "Sam is not my keeper. What is he going to do if you don't keep your promise? Pelt you with barware?"

Pam looked at me with wide eyes, but then started laughing. It took her a while to come back into her stoic self. Meanwhile I was fuming in my seat.

"May I ask you something, Sookie?"

I decided to borrow a page from Eric's book. "You may, but that doesn't mean I'll answer."

Pam was off laughing again. "Wait until Eric hears this one. You may be just as stubborn as he is!"

I had to say a little prayer: _God, give me patience so that I don't kill my boss, either one of them. I'm a good woman and don't want to harm anybody. Thanks!_

"Alright, okay, back to my question. Did you ever read Sam's mind?"

I answered her immediately, if only to prove my point. "No, I never have. He was my boss and the last time I read a boss' mind I ended up kicking him in the shins. Reading the boss' mind is a surefire way to lose my job."

"And you can't read our minds at all?"

"No, not at all. It is very peaceful," I said. I'd already been taking advantage of her presence to relax. Maybe it would keep the headache away longer. _Advil and a vampire: For headaches there's nothing better._

"That is a good thing, or you'd be mad at me as well," she said smiling.

"Your point Pam, I know you had one."

"I did have a point. I was trying to figure out if you knew him well, but it is apparent that you do not. There are a lot of things that you don't know, and it's making my job doubly difficult. That's why you should accept my invitation to go see Bill speak. We can make it a GNO."

A GNO? I knew Pam was serious, but sometimes I wondered. What vampire wanted to have a Girls' Night Out with a human? A human employee, for that matter? I was curious enough to accept.

"Great! We can have dinner after Bill's thing," she said, the perfect picture of stoicism. How did she do it?

"Pam, you don't eat."

"Thank you for pointing out that very obvious fact, Sookie dear, but I can certainly keep you company while sipping on one of those blood substitutes."

We arrived at Fangtasia and there were already several cars in the back parking lot, the red Corvette was one of them, and two that I recognized that belonged to Ginger and Belinda, waitresses like me. I was nervous on two counts. First, whether I liked to admit it or not, I had been thinking about Eric and the kiss little bit too much that day. If he weren't my boss, I might even entertain the idea of dating him. Second, whatever I was about to do for Eric now was serious. It would be the first time I used my gift in a deliberate way, and I didn't want to disappoint.

Inside Eric's office was Eric, Long Shadow, and another man who looked like he was about to puke. He was sweating heavily and his face had a green cast. Pam stayed next to the door after closing it, and Long Shadow moved next to her. Eric made a motion with his hand, giving me permission to get closer. I stood next to the man, whose mind was a complete jumble. The underlying current was fear and guilt, but I couldn't understand why he was feeling that way.

"Sookie, I would like you to listen to Bruce," Eric said, pointing at the scared man. I immediately knew Eric meant "listen" in the "reading minds" sense.

"It would help if you told me the question to the answer I'm looking for," I said. I felt like we were playing Jeopardy. _"Things you're not really proud of" for $600, Alex._

"Somebody stole sixty thousand dollars from Fangtasia. Bruce is our accountant and the most likely suspect," Eric supplied.

I nodded and crouched next to Bruce. I needed to touch him, but I didn't really want to touch his sweaty hand, so I settled on his left wrist. Immediately the images flooded in. I saw the first time he'd caught the missing amount, the fear that had crept up within him, the determination that he had to tell Eric about it, and when he did so how mad Eric had been. I could see Eric's face contorted into a mask of rage, and let go of Bruce's wrist. I took a deep breath and touched his wrist again, steeling myself against the images.

"Bruce, did you take the money?" I asked, because his thoughts had been drifting to his family and I needed to redirect them. Again he was thinking about how he'd caught the mistake, how he wanted to let Eric know right away, and I knew he hadn't done it even before he answered me out loud.

"No, I didn't," Bruce said. He was starting to shake a little, and I gave him a smile to see if he would calm down.

"He's telling you the truth," I looked up at Eric, who hadn't sat behind his desk. He was staring at me intently before he nodded and flicked his hand at Bruce.

Pam took Bruce out of the office and returned quickly with Ginger. Ginger took Bruce's seat. She was a sight tonight. She was wearing the tightest black jeans I'd ever seen, and a halter top that left very little to the imagination. It looked like she was going clubbing, though I didn't know of any club that was open on Mondays.

I crouched next to Ginger. "Hi, Ginger," I said. She wasn't nervous at all, not even a little bit. She seemed to be preening for all three vampires in the room.

"Hi, Sookie. You had something to ask me?" she asked. I touched her wrist and asked my question. But there was nothing to find inside her mind, not when I asked about the money.

I decided to try something different, to see how big the hole was. "Who's your hairstylist?" That gave me a better picture. She was thinking of the girl that did her hair, and how she dyed it blond from its natural dark brown. Then she started thinking about the time she had a perm, which wasn't exactly helpful in trying to ascertain who'd taken the money, but at least I knew her mind worked.

I pressed further. It was something I hadn't done in many years. Usually I didn't want to know people's thoughts, so I didn't actively read anybody's mind the way I was about to do with her. "Did you take the money, Ginger?" I asked to redirect her thoughts. I was inside her mind. There was a big void, a black hole of information. I started pressing against it, willing it to lift, trying to move it off whatever it was blocking.

"Sookie!" I felt a large hand on my shoulder, and a smaller one prying my fingers off Ginger's wrist. Only when I noticed this did I also notice that Ginger was wailing in her chair. "Sookie, are you alright?" Eric was asking the question. If I didn't know better I would have said he sounded concerned.

I didn't know if I was, so I decided to report the news instead. "There was a big hole in her brain, a void, like her memories had been removed." I looked around me and found I was by myself in the office with Eric. "Where did everybody go?"

"Pam took Ginger away to calm her down, and I dismissed Long Shadow until you're feeling better. What did you do?"

I looked up, and what do you know… he _did_ look concerned. What _had_ I done? "I tried to search the void, or lift it," I looked around me. When did I end up sitting on the couch? I'd lost time.

"You hurt her and yourself. Obviously there's a limit to what you can do," Eric said. I felt like I was coming into my body slowly, and had just noticed that he was wiping my face with a tissue.

"I hadn't done that in a very long time, during completely different circumstances, and it usually gave me the answer I was looking for," and it was usually a bad thing. Why hadn't I remembered that part?

"We can continue another day," he said.

"No, no. I'm already a mess, but I don't have to drive home, so let's get it over with so I can just die later in peace," I said, getting up off the couch with a little help from Eric, who let me use his arm as leverage.

Pam and Long Shadow came back in and brought Belinda. Belinda sat in the infamous chair and I pushed through. Hopefully she didn't have a hole in her brain too. I tried something different, since Ginger was the one with her memories removed.

"Belinda, did Ginger take the money?" Belinda's thoughts were clear. She was thinking hard about something Ginger had said, something about Long Shadow needing money to start his own business, and not wanting to borrow it because then he'd have to pay it back.

I looked at Eric, who asked me the question silently just with his facial expression. I shook my head, still listening to Belinda, and my eyes alighted on Long Shadow.

In a whirl of motion I was knocked back onto the floor, the air in my lungs leaving me, and the hands at my throat making it impossible to take any more in. All I could see was Long Shadow's awful face, feral and terrible, baring his teeth. My chest hurt for lack of air, and my peripheral vision was starting to go black. I struggled with what was left of my strength and felt a searing pain where Long Shadow bit my arm when I was trying to knock him off me. His face turned from horrifying to horrified, as blood started dripping from his mouth into mine. A pair of strong hands retrieved me from the floor and from underneath the crumpling form of the vampire who'd just attacked me. Behind him Eric was standing like a terrible angel, a mallet in one hand and his other curled into claw.

"Breathe, Sookie," Pam's voice said at my ear.

The minute I did I started shaking violently. Pam sat us down on the couch, holding me tight to help with the shakes.

"I told you, Eric! Look! Now she's bleeding!" bellowed Pam from my side, taking my arm gingerly. "Damn it, Eric!"

I felt like throwing up, but would have to settle for crying. I don't really care who says that a brush with death makes you horny. That's bullshit. A brush with death makes you remember all the things you could have lost and how many people would be hurt by your death. Pam let me cry on her shoulder while Eric knelt in front of me.

"I can make it better," he said in a quiet voice, taking my arm from Pam's hand and… well… licking it. It felt like that Neosporin balm, the one with the little bit of pain relieving medicine that made things numb.

"Did you swallow any of the blood?" Pam asked me. I shrugged then nodded. "That will help you heal. It's the least the bastard could do," she said with a sneer. I noticed her fangs were still out, and so were Eric's as he licked my arm clean.

I think I passed out because the next thing I remember is that I was lying on the couch listening to something that sounded like loud hissing. It sounded like a cat or a snake. A very angry cat or snake. I opened my eyes slowly to find that Pam was giving Eric a piece of her mind. She was the one hissing. I realized that she was talking very fast and very low, and to my ears it sounded like a hiss. Eric growled from where he was standing. It was low and feral, and it meant business. Pam quieted immediately and they both looked at me.

"I'm okay. Thanks for asking," I said, sitting up. Remarkably, that statement had a lot of truth in it. My arm didn't hurt, my head didn't hurt, I wasn't shaking, and the room wasn't spinning. I held up my arm to examine it, and noticed that the reason it didn't hurt was because it was completely healed. Now I knew why people used (abused, rather) vampire blood. It cured me of everything that was ailing me.

"Come on, Sookie. Let's get you home," Pam said, approaching slowly and holding out her hand. I took it and she pulled me up in one swift motion.

"Pam," Eric barked.

Pam lowered her head, looking properly contrite. "Yes, Master," she said, with no hint of sarcasm. He really was her master. I was officially upgrading this night to creepy.

Instead of talking to her, Eric turned to me. "Sookie, I'm sorry about tonight. I didn't foresee Long Shadow attacking you instead of me."

"You knew it was him all along," I said. I should have been a question, but it came out as a statement.

"I had a suspicion, which you confirmed. I can say, in all honesty, that I don't wish to put you through that again." Eric nodded, which was a vampire way to defer to the other person.

It didn't escape my notice, though, that he hadn't promised not to _put_ me through it again, he merely _wished_ not to do it. I'd accept his apology for now, and I'd bitch later.

"Thank you, Eric. I'll see you tomorrow," I said, and turned back to Pam, who was done with her submissive pose and led the way out.

"Thank you, Pam," I said when the silence inside the car was getting to be too much.

"It would be nice to know what has made you feel grateful," she said.

"For standing up for me. It seemed like you were mad at Eric over what happened to me."

"Sookie…" she seemed to sigh. "It wasn't Eric's fault, but he should have been more careful. You think of yourself like a regular human with a quirk, and we see you as an extraordinary human who can get hurt. Now that you're my employee, I need to make sure you remain safe. That is Eric's goal too, but he sometimes forgets…" she didn't finish her sentence.

"Forgets what?" I pressed.

"That you break easily, in more ways than one," she said. I knew she was being cryptic, but I'd ask her later. Right at that moment I wanted nothing but a hot shower and a warm bed. The true meaning of her words would have to wait for another day.

**A/N:** Have to say it: the name of this chapter is one of the songs on the "Eclipse" soundtrack. Just a little bit of crossover, but I thought it was appropriate.


	5. Between Heaven and the Ground

**A/N:** One of my reviewers asked me if Eric had broken Sookie's car. I just don't know. I would like to think it was a happy coin-ki-dink, but it IS Eric, after all. I had to go to a car expert (big shout out to hubby *mwah*) to figure out what would cause all the fluids of a car to just spill out like that, and he said a cracked engine block. The main culprit would be an already existing crack that opened up due to a change in temperature or… well, who knows, really? My point is it could happen in the real world to a real person with really bad luck.

I just wanted to say, just in case there's any confusion, that I LOVE Jace Everett's "Bad Things." His voice is sexy as hell. Sookie doesn't enjoy it at all, but it's not the song's fault. Currently, Sookie enjoys Katy Perry's "Firework."

**Chapter 5 – Between Heaven and the Ground, There's My Head**

I decided to go to Merlotte's for lunch and visit the folks there. They had the usual lunch crowd, but they seemed to be short-handed. I sat at the bar where Sam was doing his thing. His face lit up when he saw me.

"Sookie! So nice to see you!" he said, and meant it. Lafayette heard him and he gave me a shout out from the kitchen.

"Hi, Sam! Lafayette! It's nice to be here as a customer," I said, looking around.

"Gosh! And here I was hoping you'd help," Sam said, but his smile told me he didn't really mean it.

"Who's missing?"

"Dawn didn't make it in today. But tell me, what can I get you?" Sam asked, dismissing his struggle with Dawn. She was usually the least reliable, so the fact that she didn't come to work didn't really surprise me.

"A Coke," I said, and then louder, "and a burger, Lafayette!"

"Coming right up!" Lafayette called out from the kitchen, waving a spatula.

While sipping my Coke and waiting patiently for my burger, I decided it was time to read my ex-boss' mind. Why not? He'd never know, and I wasn't in danger of losing my job. I stopped myself briefly. What if I ever wanted to return to work here? I'd deal with it then, I thought.

I sifted through the minds of others and focused on the one moving back and forth in front of me. There was a sense of longing, a date on a calendar two days away, a red haze. Then everything turned sort of snarly, it's the best way to describe it, before Sam started thinking about an order of drinks he was putting together. The snarly part had scared the shit out of me. I'd never seen anything like that before.

I looked down at the bar hurriedly before he saw me staring. Then I tried again. This time I was getting images of the woods, and they looked bright in the night, but it quickly turned into the red hazy snarly thoughts, all twisted up into themselves. Suddenly, lust.

"Here's your order, chere," Sam put my burger basket in front of me.

Holy shit! First of all, that lustful thought had been directed at me, of that much I was sure. The rest of it was not human, it couldn't be. Was he a demon worshipper? I knew I was staring at Sam now, and he knew it too.

"Sookie?"

"I'm… um… I'll be right back," I said, running away to the ladies' room.

I took some really deep breaths. My heart was hammering in my chest like a jackrabbit, and I just couldn't calm down.

Maxine Fortenberry, one of Gran's good friends, walked into the ladies' and found me using a sink for support. "Sookie? What's wrong, sweetheart?" God bless, Maxine. She knew of my quirk but didn't care, sort of like Gran, and she looked over me whenever there was a need.

Like now. "I just got a shock, Mrs. F. I'll be alright in a minute."

She had already wet a paper towel with cold water, and was now proceeding to put it in the back of my neck. "All you need is some TLC. One of these days you and I need to talk." She was going to try to set me up with her grandson, Hoyt, who was Jason's best friend.

Eventually I came out of the ladies', only to find Sam standing by the door to his office in a thoughtful pose. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he was leaning against the wall, looking at the floor. He did look up when I came out.

"It's not what you think," he said.

"Sam," I warned him with the tone of my voice. "I don't want to know. I was rude. I'm sorry. I'll pay for lunch and leave."

"Sookie," he sounded frustrated. "Will you at least let me explain?"

"I don't think I want to know."

"Yes, you do. Come into my office so I can explain. I won't hurt you."

This felt like a horror movie, yet my curiosity won out. Isn't that always how the girl gets killed? She usually starts screaming first, though. In a bar full of patrons, that could draw some attention.

Sam perched on his desk while I stayed by the door. He took several deep breaths. I could have peeked into his mind again, but decided against it. Once was enough, and I was thanking my good common sense that I hadn't done it while I was still working here.

"I'm not fully human." That's all he said.

I crossed my arms and struck a pose. I couldn't help it. "Uh huh. Tell me something I don't know. Are you… what? Half vampire?"

Sam smiled, a little patronizingly if you ask me. "No. I'm a shape shifter." He let that sink in for a few seconds. I knew my expression hadn't changed. I knew this because my brain had seized, like an engine without oil. "I can change into other animals at will," he explained.

My poor brain started gearing up again. "Are you like a werewolf?" I asked, remembering that silly movie where the vampires sparkled and the girl couldn't decide between cold and deadly and warm and sexy.

"I could turn into a wolf if I wanted to, but the Weres don't like it when shape shifters do it. I usually turn into a collie," he answered.

I felt my face flush in anger. Was he making fun of me? I was already half mad at him for making the vampires promise to take care of me, but now I was livid. What the fucking hell! He better not be making fun of me! I was so mad I couldn't speak.

"Sookie, I thought once I told you, you'd understand. You seemed to take the vampires so well. Why can't you accept this about me?" Sam asked.

That effectively took the wind off my sails. I could be fair. "Why didn't you tell me before?" I asked, softening my tone a little.

"Because of this," he pointed at me, "your reaction. I knew it would be a shock, but I didn't expect you to be mad."

"I guess there are a lot of things I still don't understand, and it's making me frustrated. The vampires are obsessed with keeping me safe, and I feel like everyone is keeping secrets," I said, feeling very lonely all of a sudden.

"You might be feeling that way with the vampires because you can't read their minds, and you can understand why I kept my secret from you," Sam said.

He had a point, or maybe half of one. I knew when people were keeping secrets. I didn't need to be a mind reader to see when someone was being evasive. But I could concede the point that I was feeling unusually frustrated by the fact that I couldn't pluck the vampires' secrets out of their minds.

"Okay, Sam. I give in. You're… whatever you are. I'm a freak. The vampires are a bunch of blood suckers. Life's just perfect all around," I took out a twenty from my purse, left it on a shelf next to the office door and left through the back door.

Instead of going straight home, I went to the library and grabbed a few books. I even stayed there to read for an hour or so, not that I was paying attention to the words on the page. And since reading wasn't helping, I decided (against all common sense) to ask the librarian for some help.

"I'm looking for a book about Vikings, Mrs. Beck." She guided me to a section, and pulled out a promising book.

"I think this one is the most comprehensive," then she pulled another book, "and this one offers a more summarized version." Mrs. Beck smiled, probably glad that I had picked something more educational than my usual romance and mystery novels.

I took both books home with me, and locked myself in my room. Gran was knitting, so I knew there weren't any chores for me to help with. I didn't feel guilty for being antisocial.

Reading the books might not help me figure out Eric's silent mind, but I could at least learn some history. Vikings were not as fearful as modern thinking would have them be. They took care of their women and children. They were into pillaging, but not much into raping. Most of the skeletons that had been found by anthropologists had not been any taller than six feet, so Eric would have towered above his own contemporaries. Fascinating, but not helpful. I set the books aside to return them during my next trip to the library, and went to get ready for work.

Jason had come to visit, and looked… well… he actually looked serious and scared. Gran was sitting with him in the kitchen, patting his shoulder and making him drink tea. I swear sometimes Gran thought she was English.

"What's going on?" I asked, getting some water for the long drive to Shreveport.

"I just spent the whole day at the police station. The cops have been asking me questions about Dawn and Maudette," Jason said without any preamble.

Maudette? "What happened to Dawn?"

"She died of strangulation," Gran supplied helpfully. She looked her age, which was unusual.

"And they think you did it?" I asked Jason. Color me confused and scared too. Oh, my God! Poor Dawn! What the hell was going on? And now the cops were after Jason. Why? Oh, shit! "Jason!"

He shrugged. Obviously he'd been with them, with both of them, and the cops were getting suspicious.

"Gran, I'm going to work," I said. She knew I couldn't deal with Jason's drama, so she dismissed me with an understanding nod.

I felt like my head was about to burst, so when I got to work I sought the first vampire I saw. It was Pam.

"Sookie, you look troubled," she said, crossing her arms.

Her silence was wonderful. I didn't know if she was mad, concerned, whatever, and I didn't care. I felt my smile widen at that realization: I didn't care.

"I'm good now Pam. Thank you for your concern," I said. She raised her eyebrow at me before I left to take care of my section.

Tuesdays were not exactly wild and crazy nights at Fangtasia. We got more vampires than usual, and that was just fine with me. As a matter of fact, we didn't have anybody sitting at the thrones, because it wasn't warranted. There weren't enough humans to enthrall, and most of them were already hanging on a vampire's arm.

Ginger and Belinda looked like they had forgotten the night before, and were pleasant to me. Ginger actually came over when a particularly peppy song started playing, and we both started shaking our butts. It was innocent really, just a quick movement that lasted half a minute, tops, but it immediately lifted my spirits. My customers had noticed, and the desire to dance must have rubbed off on a few.

I was picking up some glasses and bottles from a just-vacated table, still shaking my booty a little bit to the beat. I didn't even notice when a pair of glowing hands took the tray from me and set it back down on the table. Eric held out his hand to me, and I took it before thinking it through. He led the way to the now busy dance floor, twirled me and smiled, before letting go of my hand and getting jiggy with it. For a large man, he was uncannily graceful.

Dancing with Eric turned out to be an unexpected treat. I'm a good dancer; it's one of the few things I can do very well. But Eric was better. We danced for several songs, and for those few precious minutes that night I forgot. I forgot I was dancing with a vampire; I forgot about Sam; I forgot about my brother and the heartache he'd given Gran. My brain concentrated on keeping time and keeping up, nothing else. Only when the music turned slower did Eric let me leave the dance floor. Somehow he knew I wouldn't be able to handle dancing too close. He did hold my head in his hands briefly, fixing me with his turquoise eyes, and said "Thank you," with a sincere smile. I smiled back and curtsied, like dancing partners did way back when, and he bowed a little.

It was such a little thing, insignificant really. A dance and I was set to rights. All my jumbled thoughts were now linear. Everything could make sense, everything had a simple solution. Jason hadn't hurt those girls, and the truth would win out. Nothing to worry about there. Sam was "other." Welcome to the club. Eric was no different than Sam. I'd been fine before, I'd be fine now.

I knew I looked happy, and when Pam handed me my check I knew my customers had noticed. I'd gotten nearly as much in tips as I'd gotten on Saturday. Even in a vampire bar, you still needed to treat people nicely. Were vampires really that different from humans?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I went to get the door. Gran had been expecting Mr. Compton to stop by. She'd even gone out to get some True Blood.

"You should have seen the looks I got! Old lady buying True Blood," she had laughed.

"Good evening," said Bill Compton at the door.

Now, I knew Gran called everyone Mr. This and Mrs. That, but I called vampires by their first names. "Hello! You must be Bill, come on in," I said stepping aside. I was a little leery of him. After all, he'd come into the house when Gran was here by herself.

He was as ghostly pale as any vampire, with his glowing skin that dimmed in the house's lights. He had very long sideburns and dark brown hair that matched his dark brown eyes. He was only a few inches taller than my five six, and looked slender but solid, muscular. Bill wore a perfectly appropriate pair of gray slacks and a long sleeve polo shirt.

Gran appeared in the living room carrying a tray with one blood and two iced teas. She gave me a reproving look, and I knew it wasn't because of my manners, since I'd already shown Bill to a chair. I think she didn't approve of my outfit. Hey! It was my night off. Jeans and a tee were perfectly appropriate. I was even wearing shoes.

The two lovebirds started talking about the upcoming meeting, and then got into family trees. Somehow in that conversation Bill found out that Mrs. Caroline Bellefleur was his great-great-granddaughter or something like that. At first he'd sneered at the Bellefleur name, but Mrs. B. had married into the name, obviously. There was no older woman down here that had kept her maiden name after marrying. My own Gran's maiden name was Adele Hale, and had married Grandpa Stackhouse. So the house we lived in didn't really belong to her family, but to his.

The evening had turned rather pleasant, until my Gran said she needed to turn in and practically ordered us to go out for a walk. Oh, jeez! I wasn't about to read her mind, but I could guess she considered Bill a suitable partner for me. Why in the world she would think that was beyond me. I went out for a walk with Bill anyway, just to make her happy.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak to the Descendants. It means a lot to Gran," I said to Bill, because I really had nothing else to say to him.

"I suppose it comes with trying to belong to the community," he said. Okay, that made sense.

"So are you planning on staying here for a long time?" I asked, curious now. I knew he'd been fixing the house next door, but maybe he was going to sell it.

"That is my plan for now. I like to travel, but it's nice to have a home to return to." He paused. "How do you like working at Fangtasia?"

"It's been very nice so far," I answered without giving anything away.

"That's not what I heard. I heard Long Shadow attacked you," Bill said. I wasn't sure what he was trying to do, and because I didn't know anything about vampire politics, I had a hard time coming up with something to say. That stinky rat seemed to go wherever vampires went, and right now it was rearing its ugly head. Was Eric in trouble for killing another vampire? If he was, I didn't want to confirm or deny anything. To confirm would mean I was a witness. To deny would prove the same thing.

Thankfully I didn't have to say anything at all.

"Compton." Even irate, I knew that voice. "What did I tell you?"

"Good evening Pam," Bill said nodding at her. She must have come out of the trees. One second we were walking down the driveway, the next she was blocking our path. I was a little thankful, if perplexed.

"Good night, Sookie," Bill nodded at me now, and off he went through the woods to the west, homeward bound.

"Ugh! I hate repeating myself," she mumbled. "Hi, Sookie. Walk with me back to your house."

"Pam… I don't even know what to ask you anymore, other than to explain," I said.

"I will, but not here," she whispered in my ear. "Do you know that he listens to Kenny G? How lame," she said louder.

"Who?"

"Bill. He's into easy listening. Not your cup of tea, I know." Pam had seen me make a face and the "easy listening" part. "You dance very well, Sookie. You'll have to teach me." And here came that evil smile of hers. How could someone so lovely look so evil? I knew she was frozen in time, so she must have looked the same during her human days. Uf! She would have been a bitch!

"When were you turned, Pam? I'm sorry if I'm prying, but I'm curious."

"It was the early eighteenth century," she said, not minding telling me.

I did quick mental math. "So you're older than Bill. Does that make a difference?"

"Sure it does. I'm stronger," she flexed her arms. It was comical. She was just a little thing. "And I have more brains, but that may just be because I'm me, and he's… well, he's Compton," she said with disdain. There was no love lost there.

Pam didn't need my invitation to come inside the house, because she already had Gran's. "Would you like a blood?"

"No, I already ate, thank you. Sit down, let's talk."

I obeyed curious and apprehensive at her tone. "Please don't give me bad news. I don't think my brain can handle anymore."

"Are we alone in the house? Is your grandmother sleeping?" Pam asked. I could feel my Gran's brain had shut down, so I nodded. "Good. Now, I'm not sure how you will take this news, and I'm sorry that I have to be the one to tell you. Really, Sookie, your family is kind of odd sometimes."

"What are you talking about?"

Pam seemed to take a deep breath, though I knew she didn't need it. "Your cousin Hadley…"

"You know Hadley?" I almost yelled as I interrupted her. Poor Hadley had been lost into drugs and God knew what else for years.

"Not personally. Sookie, calm down so I can continue," she waited until I nodded again. "Hadley is one of us now. She was turned recently."

I blinked. "Was she dying?" It's sad that _that's_ where my brain went immediately.

"No, no, she was healthy I assure you," Pam said quickly.

"Okay, well, I can't say that I'm happy, but at least now I know where she is," wait, "Where _is_ she?"

"She's in New Orleans, and she's safe. But she's a new vampire, and they are prone to accidents."

"Accidents, as in…?"

"As in it's not safe for her to come visit her family, not for a little while." She studied me for a moment. I was lost in thought, trying to come to grips with Hadley's strange life, and now death. I was sad, but Hadley had been lost for so long, we all thought of her as dead already. She hadn't even come to her mother's funeral, although she may not have known about it. It's not like we had her number.

"I must say you're handling this remarkably well," Pam said quietly.

"We all thought she was dead completely. Now I know she's only dead during the day and comes alive after dark. I think Gran will get some peace of mind now that we know where she is." I was trying to decipher how I felt about this.

Poor Hadley had suffered more physical abuse than I had, and for longer. Gran had tried to bring her back into the folds of the family, but she was too damaged, or else didn't care (although I didn't believe that). She'd sought refuge in self-destroying activities, believing herself to be less than she was. Being a vampire might actually be a self-affirming thing for her. She was now stronger than those who'd harmed her.

"Who made her a vampire?" I asked before the thought had fully formed in my head.

Pam made a face and a soft hissing sound. "I am not at liberty to say, but perhaps Eric can fill you in." She stood up to leave. "Try not to be alone with Bill, and don't say anything about your ability to him, or to any vampire for that matter."

"I know I should ask why, but I don't think I want to," I said standing up too.

She answered anyway. "Because Bill's an idiot and a nosy brat, plus I don't like the company he keeps with the exception of your grandmother. As for other vampires: because nobody so powerful should know what you can do."

"What about you and Eric?" I asked, frowning.

"We're the good guys," she winked.

**A/N**: I tried to put myself in Sookie's shoes. Certainly we've all had days when there's too much information and we feel like our heads are about to explode, when even the strongest person starts feeling like they're going slowly nuts. I certainly have had my share. This was a difficult chapter to write because of that. I don't like to see Sookie losing it, but she IS human, has always been lonely, and therefore doesn't have a very strong support system. I think that's why she likes Pam's company.


	6. Blood in My Veins For You

**A/N**: I never knew that I would have so many people reading my little story – all around the world too! – and I must thank all of you from the bottom of my heart. Your reviews bring tears of happiness to my eyes. I'm not kidding, y'all can ask hubby! I know I'm gushing now.

By the way, how many of you have noticed that everything is "little"? I give gold stars to those who can guess why I do that. LOL!

**Chapter 6 – Blood In My Veins For You**

I told Gran about Hadley. I felt like she needed to know. Poor Gran started crying, but she was happy. It brought her closure. Now she knew that her other grandchild was alive, and would remain so for a very long time. But really, she just wanted Hadley to be okay, so she accepted the compromise. Plus, even if we couldn't see her yet, there was hope to see her soon. Gran had buried her two children, her husband, and her parents. She didn't want to bury her grandchildren too.

Fangtasia was very busy all the days that comprised the weekend, and the vampires turned truly wicked. We had a new bartender named Chow, and he was drawing in the crowds like nobody's business. He looked fierce, yet beautiful. He was about my height, but built of solid muscle, and every inch of his exposed skin (except his face) was covered in elaborate tattoos of dragons (as far as I could tell). He only wore pants behind the bar. Chow would snarl or show his fangs to select customers, depending on whether they bothered him or pleased him.

Indira joined him behind the bar. She didn't wear her sari as she usually did because it restricted her movements. She had wrapped the skirt completely around her bottom, and left her heavily embroidered sari blouse on, so she was showing off some serious skin. She liked to make eyes at the male patrons, and they were going absolutely mental over her.

Thalia was playing bouncer up front, always scary, but she was behaving for the most part. She was part of the draw the place had: _Come play with fire at Fangtasia; have Thalia scare the wits out of you and/or rip your throat._ At least I didn't have to deal with her.

Eric liked to dress up on the weekends… or maybe not _liked_, but did it anyway. He was wearing his long blond hair down over his black suit, and he and Pam were enthralling the vermin (Pam's words, not mine) from the stage. Pam had a blood red dress on in the same style as our Elvira dresses, except she was wearing red stilettos instead of our sensible pumps. Her hair was also down and cascading over her shoulders, all the way down to her waist. The two looked like an ad for some fancy clothing store, until one of them showed fang. They were the most active, with Eric making eyes at the ladies the way only he could, and Pam scaring the men senseless.

"Pity it was so busy," Eric said handing me another outrageous check.

I arched an eyebrow, a la Gran. "Why do you say that?"

"We didn't get to dance," he said smiling.

I smiled too, I had to, but shook my head. Pam had warned me that he wouldn't do anything so forward as to kiss me, but that he wasn't going to behave either. Oh, well. I could take a little misbehaving. It might even be fun.

"Maybe some other time," I teased.

His eyes widened. "Oh! How about now?"

Oh, jeez! For a split second I forgot he was the owner of the bar. "Right now I'm tired and I'm going home," I said, keeping my smile politely in place.

He pouted. The big blond vampire actually pouted. Unbelievable. "Alright, little Sookie. Good night."

When I arrived at the house all the motion lights were on. It was three in the morning, so I was a little concerned, until I saw a little bushy thing come trotting up to the driver's side of the car.

"Sam?" I asked of the dog. He looked just like Lassie, but a boy. Laddie, maybe?

Laddie gave me a tiny bark and wagged his tail. I had no choice. I had to laugh. He even bumped my hand with his nose so I would pet him.

"Alright, I'll pet your head, but don't ask me to scratch your belly," I chuckled. I sat on the porch steps and Sam sat next to me. He was cute as a button. I could see why he picked to be a collie. I'm sure he got petted by everybody.

"Should I call you Sam while you're like this?" I asked using a quiet voice. Sam yipped. "I was thinking Laddie, since you're a boy." Sam wagged his tail. He was probably just trying to be agreeable.

"I think I just needed a few days, you know? To get used to this. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time," I said, and hugged him. Hugging Laddie didn't transfer his thoughts like it would have had I hugged Sam. That was a pleasant surprise.

A said good night to Laddie and he waited until I went inside the house and locked the doors. My very own guard collie. Something had gotten lost in translation.

Jason came to the house the next day for lunch. He looked like a broken man when he sat down on the ground next to my chaise lounge. I'd been indulging in my two favorite pastimes: sunbathing and reading. I'd already gone to the bank and cleaned the bathrooms. I was feeling productive.

"What's wrong?" I asked Jason, setting my book aside.

"Andy had me down at the station again," he answered dejected (my Word of the Day).

I was confused. "Why? I thought they already had you down there."

"They found a couple of things, and they needed to ask me about them."

"What did they find?"

Jason hesitated and blew out a big puff of air at the same time that he said, "Tapes."

"Tapes?" It took me a moment, but I got there. I sat up and hit him on the shoulder. "Sex tapes? Jason, you're so fucking stupid! How could you be so stupid? Are you really related to me? Jesus Christ Shepherd of Judea, give me patience with my brother," I was looking up at the sky now. I was hoping Jesus would be sort of floating above me, ready to give me what I needed. How blasphemous of me.

I decided to go inside the house before I pummeled my brother. He was the only brother that my parents had given me (may they rest in peace), therefore pummeling him would not have been nice, plus I needed someone to hold him down and we lacked the third sibling to do that job.

"We'll call Sid Matt Lancaster," Gran said when Jason told her about his day so far. Thankfully he hadn't said anything about the tapes to her.

Gran called Sid Matt right after lunch, and sent Jason over to him for a consultation. Jason would have to pay for that himself. Served him right for making tapes, if you ask me. Hopefully it wouldn't turn into anything else and they would find the real culprit.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Eric!" I said his name out loud. I don't know why. He knew perfectly well who he was.

"Sookie," he smiled standing just outside the door to my house. He was dressed very oddly, for him. He was wearing a pair of khaki slacks and a long sleeve button down navy shirt, with a proper pair of shoes. He'd put his hair back at the nape of his neck, and looked the perfect picture of civility.

I, on the other hand, had a dress I'd gotten on sale at Tara's store. It was navy, with thick straps (to hide my necessary full bra), a deep V-neck, and a pretty flowing skirt that went all the way to my knees. And since it was a little bit cool outside, I was wearing a white short sweater over it. All of it was Gran-approved, right down to my sparkly silver high heeled sandals.

"I'm sorry to sound like a bad hostess, but what are you doing here?" I asked Eric, noticing that we matched, sort of. His shirt and my dress were the exact same navy color.

"Pam couldn't make it to your date, so she sent me. She hates to stand people up. I hope you don't mind if I tag along," he explained.

"You do know it wasn't a date, right?"

"Of course. It was a Girls' Night Out. I could have pretended to be a girl, I guess, but I'm sure you would have seen right through that," Eric was smiling wide now. He'd made a funny. "I'll let you drive if it will make you more comfortable."

I sighed. I was sure this was Pam's idea all along, for me to end up on a date with Eric in a situation I considered safe. I'd be mad, but, I'm saddened to say, this same situation had happened to me before. Arlene had stood me up and sent a guy she thought I might like. At least Pam had sent someone I already knew, and I was already used to his behavior.

"Let's go. I've never been in a Corvette," I said, grabbed my purse and locked the door.

"Do we kiss now or at the end of our date?" he said. Oh, yes! It would be a long night.

"You and I don't kiss at all," I said and smiled wide. I might enjoy this after all. He was making faces already.

Eric held the door open for me and scared me when he tucked my skirt inside the car. I thought he was going to do something else, like touch my leg. I was thankful we were in the Corvette: it was standard, so he couldn't be sneaky and try to hold my hand. He needed both his hands to drive, since we wouldn't be on any highways anytime soon. He did put the song we had first danced to on his stereo, though. Okay, I give, okay! That was sweet that he remembered. I also knew he was a master charmer.

I gave him directions on how to get to the Knights of Columbus Hall. There weren't that many Descendants of the Glorious Dead, but everyone wanted to hear Bill's story, even people who didn't belong. Pretty much all of Bon Temps showed up.

As we arrived I noticed all the heads turning to look at the red Corvette. I hadn't counted on that. No matter, that was nothing compared to the looks we got when we went inside the hall. Eric had taken advantage of the fact he'd held my hand to help me out the car, and decided to thread my arm into his. Have you ever tried to break a vampire's determined hold on your arm? It's not easy.

Gran approached us inside the hall. She was beaming about several things, not the least of which was the vampire to my right. She could barely contain her excitement waiting the few seconds it took for the introduction.

"Gran this is Eric Northman, the owner of Fangtasia. Eric this is my grandmother Adele Stackhouse," I said. We in the South are born knowing how to introduce people.

My Gran held out her hand, and Eric took it, turned it, and brought it up to his lips. "My pleasure, Mrs. Stackhouse."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Northman, I assure you. Thank you for coming tonight. Everyone's been raving about Sookie's cookies," she turned to me and leaned in, as if to tell me a secret. "Some people say they rival Mrs. Bellefleur's chocolate cake. I'm not kidding."

I rolled my eyes, but smiled. I had baked cookies all day, but I was only following Gran's recipe. She just wanted to make me look good in front of my date, who didn't eat, by the way… and she knew that!

Gran fluttered away to whoever was coming in behind us, and Eric guided us to the back of the room. "I hope you don't mind. I am a little taller than most," he said as we sat down.

"Nope. Here's fine," I answered, scanning the room. I saw several faces and/or backs of heads I recognized. Arlene's bright red head stood out, but I couldn't tell if she was here with Rene her current… whatever he was. Sid Matt Lancaster, the lawyer, was here sitting next to our human sheriff, Bud Dearborn. I was sitting next to the vampire sheriff. That was kind of funny to me. Pam had explained the fiefdoms to me the night before. She had called me just to chat, it seemed. We ended up talking for a whole hour. Who knew that I would develop a friendship with a vampire woman?

"I'm a terrible date," Eric mumbled next to me. I turned to him with a question in my eyes. "Would you like me to get you something to drink or eat?" he asked.

I think I snorted. "It's alright, Eric. I'm not hungry, but thank you for thinking of me."

He blinked, as if I'd said something perplexing. "I always think of you. It would amaze you, and probably scare you, to know just how much."

"Then why are you telling me?"

"Because maybe with repetition you will eventually believe me. You think I lie about this; I can see the skepticism in your eyes," he pointed at my face and then followed through touching the tip of my nose. I made a playful move to bite his finger and snarled a little. Compared to how he usually sounded, I must have sounded like a kitten. It had the unintended effect of sparking his admiration, and he smiled at me in a very fangy way.

He sobered up when someone took the stage. It was Gran, apologizing for Bill's lateness due to car trouble. Eric harrumphed quietly at my side but didn't comment. Gran went ahead and started her little speech anyway. She was introducing Bill, and hopefully he would make it by the time she finished.

Bill made it just in time, jogging up to the stage while getting some encouraging applause from us. Eric leaned in and whispered, "He can fly too," before the applause died down. I knew immediately what he meant: why was Bill late due to car trouble, if he could just take to the air? I shrugged. Eric would have to tell me later what he thought had kept Bill.

The stories that Bill told were painful to hear. More than one person was sniffling. I knew Gran would have taken out her pretty embroidered handkerchief by now, and I felt guilty sitting so far from her. I should have thought about it better. But I could see she was surrounded by her DoGD friends. Mrs. Fortenberry for sure was next to her, so I stopped worrying so much.

I remained alright until one of the DoGD asked if Bill had known his great-grandpa, and Bill related that story. I tried to hold the tears because I knew I'd forgotten my tissues, when Eric tucked a handkerchief into my hand. I blinked and down came the tears I'd been trying to hold back. I was happy I hadn't worn a lot of makeup.

When Bill had told all his stories, and before leaving, I asked Eric to please help me pack Gran's car. I thought Bill was going to do it, but I just didn't trust Bill alone with her. Eric agreed immediately and helped carry most of the trays to Gran's car. Vampire strength was awesome!

"We will follow you, Mrs. Stackhouse, and I will help unload your car," Eric said to Gran. Of course, Gran gushed about Eric's thoughtfulness, and off we went.

"What do you think was up with Bill?" I asked Eric when we were alone in the car.

"I have no idea. I found it odd, though. I'll ask him later," he said, not really caring about it. "He made you cry, though. That cannot be allowed."

"Eric… it was a touching story. I know Gran's friend really appreciated it. Did you at least enjoy it?" I asked, truly wondering if he'd had a good time.

"I did. I wasn't in the States during the Civil War, so I learned a lot. Thank you for coming along, Sookie," he said, as if this had been his idea. Maybe it had been. I looked at him and he was smiling and biting his lower lip.

Gran backed the car next to the porch, the easiest way to get to the kitchen, and Eric parked in front of her car. With vampire speed he got my car door, Gran's car door, and her trunk open and waited patiently for someone to open doors for him.

"I got it," I said, jogging up the porch steps, opening and unlocking doors, turning on lights, with a laden vampire close at my heels.

I walked into the kitchen and was grabbed from behind. Something tightened around my throat before I could scream, and I had a horrible flashback to when Long Shadow had cut off my air. The pressure was gone in a flash, and I crumpled to the floor, trying in vain to get air back in. The air rushed back in with a wheezing sound, and I was able to look around me. Eric was holding Rene in a choke hold, and Gran was trying to make her way around the men to get to me. I struggled up to call the police. I managed to dial the numbers but couldn't speak. Gran finally got through and began talking to the dispatcher.

I didn't have enough air, the room started spinning under me, and a dull buzzing sound started pressing on my ears. That's when everything went black.

"Sookie, can you hear me?" someone was asking frantically. Everything around me was shaking. I'd never been in an earthquake, but this might be one.

"Sookie, can you hear me?" the voice asked again. I opened my eyes to find some young man holding a mask to my face. Oh! I was in an ambulance. Never been in one before. This was interesting. Eric was there too, next to the one guy. I wondered where Gran was. I thought it was the next of kin who sits in the ambulance.

"Do you take any medications, Sookie?" the guy asked me. I shook my head, because I knew I wouldn't be able to talk. "Are you in pain?" I nodded at that one. Boy was I in pain! My whole neck was on fire. "Okay I'm going to give you something for pain," and he wasn't kidding. He injected something into an IV he'd already started into my hand, and I immediately felt happy. Pain drugs were awesome!

Eric had to explain what had happened to the emergency room doctor, and I was only half listening. The little pink butterflies above my head were holding most of my attention. Something made me pay attention, though.

"Where is her grandmother?" Eric had asked.

_Yeah, Eric. You tell 'em! I want my grandma like now._

"She was taken for scans already. We couldn't wait in a case like that," the doctor said. Why did Gran need scans? "You can sit with Miss Stackhouse and I'll keep you both informed."

Eric came to my side and dug into my purse. I was wondering what he wanted. Maybe lipstick. Nah! It was my phone. He flipped it open and fidgeted, he kept calling numbers. I wondered why he didn't use his phone, but it was okay because it was past seven so all my calls were free.

"Your fucking brother isn't answering any of his numbers," Eric said. I made a motion with my hand, since I couldn't talk, and he handed me the phone. I scrolled down to the one that said _Mer-lo-ties_, or so I thought, and handed it back. It seemed that Eric had left a message to get Jason to come to the hospital if he was seen at Merlotte's.

Eric paced a little longer, apparently making more phone calls, and I entertained myself with the little people on the ceiling. The funny part was that I _knew_ those little people were a side effect of the pain drugs. But they were nice people, and were keeping me company. When I came down off this high I was going to miss them, I was sure of it.

Eric stopped pacing and sat next to me, grabbing the hand with the IV gingerly and threading his fingers with mine. "I wish I could heal you, Sookie," he muttered. I squeezed his hand and he looked up. "Give you my blood, like Long Shadow did. But there's more to it than just giving you blood. You're hopped up on drugs and are in no position to make decisions this important." Eric's voice was grave.

I squeezed his hand again. I was listening to him. I was worried about Gran. Something bad was going on. If he could heal me, I might do it and deal with the consequences later to take matters into my hands now.

He shook his head and looked away, so I squeezed again. He sighed. "Sookie, you don't want it. I was just thinking out loud. You'd be bound to me by something stronger than love. You'd belong to me and I to you."

Either his reverse psychology was working on me, or I was really drugged, because I was giving it some serious thought. And this is why: my Gran was somewhere in this hospital going through God-knew-what by herself. Jason was missing. If a decision needed to be made to save her life, it needed to be made by me. I was the closest next of kin. If it could save Gran's life, I could forfeit mine.

With my free hand I took off my mask, hoping he would understand what I meant by the gesture. He looked up with something like hope in his eyes and I nodded. Eric peeled the tape that held the IV to my hand, and pulled the IV out so delicately that I didn't even feel it. He took my hand and sucked on the tiny wound, licking it to close it like he'd done to my arm. In a quick motion he bit his own wrist and put it to my mouth. The blood tasted sweet and salty, nothing like mine. It was sluggish, thick, and I had to draw on the wounds hard to get some blood. Swallowing was another ordeal. My throat hurt like a bitch. After the first swallow, it felt better.

I felt better by increments. Eric's wounds closed on their own. I remained in bed with my eyes closed, with the taste of Eric's blood still in my mouth. He was caressing my hair and I thought I caught something. A thought? A feeling? It felt like regret, or contrition. Eric was sorry.

"Come, Sookie. We need to find out what happened with your grandmother," Eric said. Somehow he knew I was ready to get up.

"Tell me what you know," I said, finding my voice.

"They said something about a stroke, so they took her for scans," as he spoke, he took the charts at the bottom of my bed and tore them. The doctor walked in on us as we were about to leave the little room in Emergency.

"Did you give her blood?" the doctor was about to sound indignant, but made the mistake of looking into Eric's eyes. "Mrs. Stackhouse is in the ICU," the doctor said like a zombie.

Eric grabbed my hand and led the way. He seemed to know exactly where he was going. Did he troll the emergency rooms for fresh victims? What the hell?

"She smells like you," Eric said answering my mental question. Oh! That's what he had meant about being bound. He was feeling it too, then.

We arrived at a set of doors and were let in by a nurse at a desk who asked me if I was Sookie Stackhouse.

"Yes!" I said immediately. She quickly showed us to the room where they had Gran. There was a doctor there barking orders, and I felt like sinking. Eric caught me and held me up.

The doctor turned to me. "Miss Stackhouse? Do you know if your grandmother left any orders?"

"No, she didn't," I almost choked on my answer.

"It's your call, then," the doctor said.

I hadn't taken Eric's blood for nothing. "Do everything in your power, please."

When someone you love is lying helpless like that, your heart breaks. Your world shifts. Your soul trembles. You'd give anything to be in their place. Everything that is humanly possible is not enough. Time stands still and speeds up at random. You start making bargains with God, even if you know full well that His will is the one that matters, not yours.

Adele Stackhouse passed away at 1:29 a.m. that morning.

**A/N**: I didn't have to dig too deep for that one. I've had a cherished one in an Intensive Care Unit. I'm sorry to all who wanted Gran to remain alive. When God calls, you gotta go. At least Sookie got to say goodbye.

The title of the chapter is a line from the song "Rapunzel" by the _Dave Matthews Band_. I feel it has two connotations: Eric gave the blood in his veins to Sookie, to help her. And Sookie put Eric's blood in her veins to help Gran.


	7. Cake or Death

**A/N:** A lot of you asked if Sookie and Eric are bonded. Not yet, not permanently. Eric had to summarize it and give Sookie the worst case scenario because she was drug addled and needed to make a huge decision.

I haven't looked at the first book while writing this. From what I remembered Sookie asked Bill if he could fly, and he hovered, which to me it meant he could. I can't remember ever seeing him fly after that, but I'm just going strictly by what I interpreted from the first book.

**Chapter 7 – Cake or Death**

Dying is a business. It must be, because I found myself in a little room inside the hospital signing paper after paper. Because Gran had died right after Rene's attack on me, the D.A. was requesting an autopsy. They wanted to see if they could charge him with her murder, as well as my assault and the assault on Eric. I still had no idea what he'd done to Eric, but whatever.

Eric had dispatched Pam to find out what had happened to Rene, since we all left the house in ambulances, and Rene had left in the back of a police cruiser. Eric's phone kept vibrating at regular intervals with text messages. Apparently Rene was starting to spill the beans.

"He's confessing many murders," Eric mumbled while I was reading yet another piece of paper. "Including the one of his sister, a woman named Maudette and another named Dawn in Bon Temps. It seems Alcee Beck is a better detective than Bellefleur."

"How is Pam hearing all this?" I asked shaking my head. I must have been in shock because that was my only reaction.

"Super vampire hearing," Eric answered, trying to lighten the mood. Well, I gave him brownie points for trying, anyway. He had remained at my side and he really didn't have to.

"Pam is on her way to pick us up. She'll be here in fifteen minutes," Eric said, glancing at his phone one last time.

"I'm sure we'll be done by then," I said. The social worker came to pick up the paperwork and left to make copies. She was scared of the vampire next to me. Just as well, because she didn't linger long enough for me to read her mind any further.

I felt Eric's hand alight on my hair, pushing a strand behind my ear. I made a soft grunting noise. I really didn't need this right now. He shushed me and kept smoothing my hair. Maybe he was fixing it. God only knew what it looked like. Whatever connection we'd had right after I'd taken his blood, I couldn't feel it anymore. I wasn't sure how to feel about that, but for now it was good that I could once more relax into his silent mind.

The hospital was quiet at three in the morning. Eric matched his stride to mine, which was slow. I was leaving my Gran behind inside this hospital, and I was doing so reluctantly. I reminded myself that Gran's body was just that: a body. Her soul was already well on its way back to God, or wherever it is we all come from. I wasn't feeling like a believer at that particular minute.

Pam came in through the main doors to the hospital, and made a bee line for me. She held my shoulders, looking me over. "Your hair's a mess," she said, then hugged me. It was like hugging a small tree with soft flesh. I knew Pam wasn't good about expressing feelings, so the hug was unexpected, though not unwelcomed.

Jason finally walked in through the main door of the hospital as we approached it. "Where's Gran?" he asked, looking like somebody had just hit him with a sledgehammer. I probably looked the same way.

"She's gone," I said. I didn't know how else to say it.

Three things happened in quick succession. I felt a sharp pain on my left cheek, where Jason's fist had made contact with my face. Jason found himself lifted off the floor by the throat by a very pissed off vampire twice his size. And I had another vampire standing in front of me, guarding me in a semi crouch, tiny hands curled into claws. Suddenly the hospital's silence was pierced by my cry of pain, and the growls issuing forth from Eric and Pam. They were the kind only a demon could make.

"Eric, please put him down," I said in a calm voice. Eric opened his hand and Jason fell to the floor in a heap.

I stepped around Pam to look down at Jason. "Don't you ever lay another hand on me, are you listening? And don't you dare come to my house for as long as you live." And just to show I was better than him, I walked away without so much as a kick to his groin, though I really wanted to.

"You should have let me hurt him," Eric grumbled from the driver's side of Pam's car.

I curled up in the large backseat. It was a half hour ride back to Bon Temps. "I couldn't let you sink to his level," I mumbled, half asleep already.

"Sookie is a woman of honor," Pam reminded Eric.

He grumbled a little more and then said, "I know."

I woke up feeling like I couldn't move. I quickly discovered that the vampire's idea of tucking people in was extreme. Eric was still working at tucking my feet.

"Eric, can you un-tuck me a little bit? I can't move," I said lifting my head a little.

"I'm sorry I woke you," he said, pulling on the covers a little. "Pam let me tuck you in when I promised I'd behave. Though she wasn't very specific with her request."

In the dim light coming in from the window, I couldn't tell if he had waggled his eyebrows. I imagined he did. He knelt by the head of the bed and touched my cheek, the one that had gotten the blow.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"No, it's a little sore." I took a deep breath. It was time to put on my big girl britches and be gracious. "Thank you for staying with me through this."

"You haven't cried yet," was all he had to say.

I frowned. "I think I'm all cried out for now." From the time I got to the ICU I had cried. Not sobs, just tears. When the doctor said there wasn't anything else they could do for Gran, he'd let me sit beside her before they took her off the machines. I told her I loved her, that I'd miss her, and that I'd see her someday.

"I could feel your grief," Eric said in a quiet voice.

I wasn't sure what to say, so I picked the first thing I thought of. "I'm sorry. I took your blood and it didn't make a difference."

"It made a difference to me," he said immediately in a sure voice. "You matter, Sookie, and not just to me. You are very dear to many people and you make a difference every day."

I tried to decipher his expression, but I couldn't see very well. He'd sounded mad. "I meant I couldn't save Gran's life," I mumbled.

"Even the great Sookie Stackhouse can't defeat Death. Go to sleep, Sookie, and take the time you need to get your grandmother's affairs in order. I'm sure Pam will blow up your phone every night," he paused and chuckled. "Who knew that Pam would have a human woman for a friend?" I smiled, since I'd been wondering the same thing about myself.

Eric kissed my forehead and left my room. There were no other sounds except the crickets outside, and I fell into the dreamless sleep of exhaustion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"One of us should call," Jason said.

"Jason, I don't want to talk about it. If you want to call, you go on right ahead, but that man does not set foot in my house, on my property, or within my view," I said to him. My voice had come out a little shrill.

We were at the funeral home, the only one in Bon Temps, finalizing things for tomorrow's viewing and funeral. It was a tentative truce, and it had only come about thanks to Mrs. Fortenberry and her grandson Hoyt.

Timid, quiet Hoyt, who was usually Jason's shadow, ripped Jason a new one when he found out what he'd done to me. Mrs. F. called me up and had acted as mediator. "This isn't the time to be apart, even if he _is_ an asshole." I was floored. Never in my life had I heard any sort of curse word spoken by Mrs. F.

So now, here we were, talking about Gran's brother, who really didn't deserve to be called such. Ugh! _Now_ I could use Hadley's presence. A short visit with a new vampire was what that man deserved. Although, an older vampire could draw out the torture a little longer… hmm… something to think about.

"I just don't understand…"

"Quit it, Jason! If you don't understand by now I ain't telling you! Respect my wishes or leave," I shouted.

"People will ask," he muttered.

"I don't give a fuck!" I stood up and left the little office.

If I were a smoker I'd go for one right about then, just to have an excuse to get away. I settled for the ladies' room instead. I took some deep shaky breaths and glared at my reflection. Jason hadn't left a mark on my face thanks to Eric's blood. I was sure I would have gotten a shiner otherwise, and then I might have been tempted to deck him at this particular junction.

I didn't want to see Uncle Bartlett, and Jason knew why. He'd never believed what that man had been capable of. I fixed a stray strand of hair with a shaking hand, and I knew I had to leave.

Mike Spencer was the M.E. and the Funeral Director. Convenient, since he did the autopsies in record time so he could collect for putting the bodies in the ground. _Gosh, you're cynical today, Sookie!_ He was just coming out of the little office, which was serendipitous (a Word of the Day I'd learned a few months ago).

"Mr. Spencer, do you need me for anything else? I have other appointments," I lied, but it sounded good.

"I think we're good with all the major points. If anything I'll call you," he said. I had to block him because I'd started getting some weird signals from his brain.

I nodded curtly and left quickly. I stopped at the hardware store and bought several boxes and packing tape, and headed home. More like empty house, since Gran wasn't going to be there.

Once inside the house I looked around. She had left it to me in a very detailed will. Sid Matt Lancaster had drawn it up a few years before, and said there would be no need for arbitration, which was one significant weight off my shoulders. I had cleaned top to bottom for the past two days, waiting for the funeral, really. I had started cleaning out Gran's room as well. I was thinking of moving into it. It just needed a little paint and new curtains.

I sat on the floor in the middle of Gran's room with all her small jewelry boxes. She'd never had much, and what she'd had she'd already given to Aunt Linda (Hadley's mom) or me. I did find her engagement ring and tried it on. It was a perfect fit. She must have been my size when she was my age. She was slimmer than me in her later years. I also found a flower brooch that I'd never seen before. It was silver, and it wasn't tarnished, which was surprising. The long stem of the flower had emerald leaves, and the petals were of some stone I'd never seen before. I wanted to call it amethyst, but they weren't the right shade of purple. It was a lavender color. No, lighter: lilac. The inset was a yellow stone, probably citrine. I was fascinated by it. I remembered a little tidbit of information: silver didn't tarnish if you used it every day. But Gran had never worn this. I set it aside to keep. I would give away all the fake stuff, and keep the real things.

The next day at the funeral I wore a gray suit I'd bought for the occasion and the flower brooch on my lapel.

It was amazing to see how many people mourned for Gran. Mrs. F. was very sad, leaning heavily on Hoyt. Jason's whole crew had shown up. At one time or another they had all met Gran. Sam closed Merlotte's so my friends could come, and he looked very dapper in a suit I would have never imagined he owned. He reminded me of someone in the military, actually, that's how pressed and upright he looked standing there. Lafayette was wearing a purple suit, and I just knew Gran would have loved it. She always wore a pink suit herself to funerals.

There were a few people I didn't recognize, but I figured they must have known Gran in some way. One man in particular was striking. He reminded me of a vampire, with long blond hair, but of course, he wasn't. He was out in the early afternoon sunlight, after all. I only saw him while I was saying a few words for Gran, and didn't see him anymore. Unfortunately I did see the sorry shape of Uncle Bartlett.

"I honored your wishes, sis. I did not call him," Jason said when he pulled me aside at the house. Everyone had gathered there, and the house felt horribly small. It was particularly horrible for me because all those minds were pressing against mine relentlessly.

"So who did?" I asked in a hushed angry voice. I sounded like Pam when she hissed.

"He might have read it in the paper," Jason whispered, but put his hands up to me. "I'll take care of it, Sookie. He's not doing that great anyway."

"Get him out of the house," I hissed after him.

Jason kept his word and had Uncle Bartlett out of the house within the next few minutes. Jason's theory was probably right. Uncle Bartlett had read of Gran's death in the paper. Or, my own theory, some busybody had taken it upon him or herself to call him. Thankfully I never got close enough to read his mind, and there had been no small children at the funeral or at my house.

When the sun set, there were still people at the house. What was this, a party? My head was pounding and my shields weren't holding. I seriously considered asking Pam to let me come to work, even late, just so I could let my mind rest.

I escaped when nobody was looking, and sat at my chaise lounge in the garden. Before I could feel the presence, I felt the mind. A vampire was nearby and making noise deliberately. I smiled. It could only be one of two people.

Eric folded himself onto the ground to my left, wearing cargo pants and a Fangtasia T-shirt. He leaned forward a little and backed off with a hiss.

"Oh, sorry!" I said, quickly removing my brooch and tucking it into a pocket. "I wasn't expecting company."

"What do you call that in your house?" Eric smiled.

"Moochers. They done ate all of Mrs. Bellefleur's chocolate cake, and I didn't even get to try it," and I was pissed about it too, which was why I wasn't speaking properly. "What brings you here?"

"A friend in need. You seemed to be in a great deal of emotional distress," he explained, then took something out of one of his cargo pockets and waved it.

"What's that?" It looked like a DVD case. I wondered if it was _Interview with the Vampire_. That would have been kind of funny, actually. I just hoped it wasn't any of the most recent vampire movies. I didn't think I could handle all the angst on that particular day. _Van Helsing_ might have been nice, if only to stare a Hugh Jackman for two hours with a good reason.

"It's a movie," he rolled his eyes. "Let's go get rid of people." He stood up in one fluid movement and helped me up, pulling me towards the house. He stopped right at the front door, put his hands on my shoulders and leveled me with a gaze.

"How badly do you want to get rid of these people?" he asked seriously.

"With a passion," I answered immediately. I had an idea what he was thinking of doing, and if it would get rid of people without me flat out telling them to leave, then I was all for it.

Eric's mischievous grin told me I was right. "Follow my lead."

With one hand he opened the door ajar, and the other was already on the back of my head, followed by his lips on my neck. "Should I bite?" he whispered. I could hear the smile in his voice, but I turned my head quickly anyway. Bad idea. His lips found mine immediately, and I had to hold onto his neck not to fall backwards. I pushed forward, which didn't do anything to rectify our posture, and only served to crush me against him. Little by little I began to lose the light hold I still had on my brain, until it completely disengaged and I began kissing Eric back. I didn't know what I was doing, but it felt good when I copied what he was doing.

I'd never been kissed like that, not even by Eric the first time. The most anybody had ever gotten from me had been a peck, before my date's thoughts overwhelmed me and I ended up kneeing him in the balls. I didn't know a kiss could be so sensual. I breathed deeply to take in Eric's scent. I opened my eyes a little and saw that he was looking back at me through half-lidded eyes. When his tongue asked permission of my lips, I opened my mouth and let him in, tasting his sweet saliva and almost getting cut by his fangs.

Eric moaned a little and disengaged, looking away from me. I pulled him to me and reached his neck, planting a couple of soft kisses to remind him I wanted his mouth again. I stopped when I heard someone clear their throat to my right… at the door!

We were standing straight, but still very close, and I realized why. Eric's… um… need?... was evident and pressing against my stomach. I didn't push away, even though I really wanted to. That was the first time I'd ever been poked, and it was in front of other people.

"Sookie, we just wanted to say goodnight," some faceless person said. I knew it was one of Gran's friends, but I wasn't looking at anybody too closely, and my brain was taking its sweet ol' time getting back in gear.

My house was empty once again in two minutes. Now it was time to clean up. Eric let me go reluctantly, and helped. We worked silently until all the plates were clean, all the food was put away, and all the trash was taken out.

"Go get comfortable, Sookie," Eric said when he saw me reaching behind leftovers to fetch him a True Blood. "I can do that."

"Oh, okay. Do you mind if I take a quick shower?" I asked, reluctantly leaving the blood in the fridge.

"No. Now go," he said, making a shooing motion with both his hands.

I took a quick shower and wasn't planning on washing my hair, but once the rest of me was clean I could tell it needed to be washed, so it took me longer than the ten minutes I had allotted for myself.

Now I had a dilemma. Eric told me to get comfortable, and I was all for it, but to me comfortable was one of my old nightgowns. Then I decided to try on a PJ that Tara had given me years ago, that I had found while moving my things to Gran's bedroom (now mine). I'd never worn it because I thought it would be too fancy for what I actually do in bed, but it would be perfect now because it covered all the juicy bits. It was a pink tee (which would cover my bra perfectly) and a long pair of PJ pants in a pink and fuchsia plaid.

When I padded over to the living room, I heard Eric chuckling and the TV was on. He'd turned off all the lights except for one on a side table. He was sitting sort of cattycornered against the corner of the sofa facing the TV.

"What's funny?" I asked, settling at the other corner. I would have sat on a chair, but I would've had to move it to watch the show.

"That commercial with the pig screaming and holding the… what are those?"

"Whirligigs," I supplied. "I like that commercial too," I said snickering.

"Movie time?" he asked, eyeing me carefully.

"Go for it," I said. He was already holding on to all the remotes, so I figured he knew what he was doing. Apparently males are technologically inclined, no matter when they were born. "What are we watching? _Underworld_?"

Eric smiled. "You actually know several vampires and you want to watch more of them on TV?"

"I watch humans all the time," I shrugged.

"You have a point," he conceded. "Hold on," he said standing up. He was back in half a minute and handed me a Coke, in a glass. With ice.

"What's this?" I asked, stupidly, of course. He arched an eyebrow, daring me to ask the question again. "Thank you," I mumbled, taking a sip and setting the glass down on the table beside me.

I had to wait until the movie started to play to figure out which movie it was. _Robin Hood: Men in Tights_, one of Mel Brooks' movies. I started laughing even before it began, and continued laughing throughout. Eric laughed too, and actually knew some of the lines. We both said "I have a mole?" at the same time, which sent us into another fit of giggles.

"So you were alive in those times, huh?" I asked when the credits started rolling.

"I'm guessing you mean around the time of Robin Hood," Eric smiled.

"Yeah," I said nervous. I wasn't sure if it was okay to ask, but I really wanted to know. Forget the Civil War. Imagine every war since the tenth century.

"Sookie, calm down, you're making _me_ nervous. Yes, I was alive then, if you can call this a life."

"Oh, I'm sorry," I said biting my tongue. I decided to explain myself. "It's kind of weird to think of y'all as dead, because you move and think and care about other people. To me you have a different kind of life, held together by a different kind of magic."

Eric looked at me thoughtfully. "Not many people think like you."

"It can't be a new theory. But answer my question."

"I already did," he winked. Oy!

"Okay… what was it like?" I tried again.

"For me or for humans?"

"Don't answer a question with a question. It's rude."

"Then be more specific," he was smiling wide now because he knew I was getting angry. "Unless you'd like to remind me of my manners."

He moved forward, bridging the gap left by the middle cushion of the sofa and getting awfully close. My heart skipped a beat. Why him?

"Come here," he pulled me and lifted me easily, sat against the armrest and settled me between his legs. He'd done it fast and with no effort. "I know my whole history, but I know nothing of yours except for these past few weeks."

"There's not much to tell," I mumbled. He'd taken my brush and was doing something to my hair.

"Sure there is. Where are your parents?"

"My parents died when I was seven. They got caught on a bridge during a freak rainstorm and were swept away by the rising water." I stopped talking.

"And?"

"And… Gran took Jason and I in, instead of letting the State put us in foster homes. I've lived in this house ever since."

"You're smart, why didn't you go to college?" he asked, making me cringe, at least mentally.

"High school was bad enough, what with my mental condition and all."

"Your gift," he corrected me.

"Whatever. I was a freak, I've always been a freak, will continue being one as long as I can read minds. And now I'm bound to a vampire and I don't know how I feel about that, no offense."

"None taken. Sookie the bond becomes permanent after we exchange blood three times, sometimes it takes more. With my blood in you I can sort of feel you, your feelings rather. It's not as strong as the bond between maker and child, but it's there," Eric was trying to explain.

I blinked. "I don't recall you taking my blood the other day."

"I took a little bit from your hand." Apparently he was done with my hair because he took the hair band from my wrist to secure it. I touched my head. He'd parted my hair down the middle, and braided each side, bringing them together at the bottom.

"Now what happens?" I asked.

"It depends on what you want. I can protect you better if you bond with me."

"Protect me from what? Am I in danger?" I turned to look at him.

He did a quick assessment-type of thing, studying my face for some reason or thinking about how to answer. "The what is a 'who.' The 'who' is your Cousin Hadley's maker. You're not in danger yet because I have not acknowledged that I've found you."

"You were looking for me?"

"Under another's orders."

"Whose orders?"

"The Queen's."

I shook my head to clear it. "The queen of all vampires."

"The vampire Queen of Louisiana."

I stood up and paced the living room. Too much information. Too much information close to too much grief. "The vampire Queen of Louisiana is Hadley's maker, and she sent you to look for me because of my quirk." I stopped talking as a realization hit me. "Hadley is just a regular person. To get a Queen to notice her she told her about me. The Queen sent you to get me for her."

"No, Sookie. She sent me to protect you until she could come to get you herself, probably with Hadley in tow to make you obey. I don't want that." He stood up but didn't attempt to come closer. "Sookie, they'll make you do what you did to Ginger the other day, and they'll make you do it over and over until you're no good anymore. Or they'll turn you and hope you can keep your gift."

"Why do you care, Eric?" I wondered out loud, too exhausted to muster the proper amount of ire. It sounded more like whining.

"Because you are different, you are good. You're the first friend my child has had in three hundred years. Not only did she befriend you. _You_ looked past what she is and befriended _her_."

"Pam is your child," I whispered, understanding suddenly dawning on me, why she was allowed to stand up to him when others weren't. The love and care I felt emanating from one to the other.

"How you put up with her is beyond me," Eric said in a softer tone.

I stood still in the middle of the living room, feeling limp and dejected. "Now what?"

Eric sighed. "Now you choose."


	8. Looking in the Mirror

**A/N:** One of my wonderful reviewers, meeby, caught the reference to Eddie Izzard in Chapter 7. Let's all thank Hubby for that one, he's a fan (I know, weird). I like to think that Eric is cake, but that's just me.

As always: thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, for all your reviews, and for all who are favoriting, alerting, and plain ol' readin'.

**Chapter 8 – Looking in the Mirror**

Who knew that digging a hole in the ground, for no reason whatsoever, could be so cathartic. I hadn't been able to sleep much, so in the early morning I set out to the shed, dug up the pick and the shovel from its confines, and hacked the ground to bits. When I stopped I had a hole about three feet wide and about as deep. I wondered what would fit in it.

I wouldn't be able to bury my sorrow or my distress. But maybe if I bought a plant in memory of Gran, I would feel better about digging a hole to purge my madness.

"Planning on burying somebody?" I jumped and whirled around, shovel in hand about to strike, when I found Sam standing there. I hadn't heard him pull up.

"Sam Merlotte! You do not sneak on a girl who's holding a shovel!" I said, trying to catch my breath. He was laughing, the bastard.

"I came to see how you were doing," he said between chuckles. _Go ahead and keep laughing, go ahead_; I was thinking almost murderous thoughts, which was very unlike me.

"I dug a hole," I said, stating the obvious.

Sam looked in the hole, leaning over just so. If I pushed him… Nah! He wouldn't fit. A pity.

He then looked around, probably looking for the plant I meant to put in the hole. "Do you have any plans for this hole?"

I ignored him. "What did Eric tell you about me? About the danger I'm in?"

Sam frowned, but not as if he was mad. He looked worried. "The Queen of Louisiana was told what you can do by your cousin, and now the Queen wants you for her retinue. At first Eric was merely concerned with securing you, but when the Rattray's thoughts made you practically convulse beside him, he changed his mind."

I studied Sam for a moment. "So Eric's first thought was to… what?"

"Make sure you could do what your cousin said you did, tell the Queen, and let her come get you."

"And then what happened?"

"When you left Eric and I spoke a little bit longer. I'm sorry Sookie, I should have told you everything from the beginning, but it wasn't my place to tell. I've known Eric since the vampires came out, and he's been nothing but honest and hardworking. As far as vampires go, he's a good one." Sam took a deep breath. "He can protect you better than I can."

"That's it?" I asked.

"What's it?"

"I feel like a pawn. The Queen wants me because of my cousin who can't keep her fucking mouth shut, so Eric comes to get me but sees me having one of my usual freak attacks, so you accept his protection on my behalf. Is that it?" I was not a happy camper. I was a confused camper, and my tent was collapsing.

"Let me ask you something," Sam stood to his full height, which wasn't very tall, but it was tall enough. And when he crossed his arms I knew he meant business. "Do you like working at Fangtasia?"

"Yes," I said, suddenly meek. I saw where he was going with this.

"And do they treat you fairly?"

"Yes."

"And haven't you developed a friendship with one of the vampires?" He was referring to Pam, I think.

"Yes."

"So what's the big deal? Your cousin screwed you, that's a fact. Now you're safe at no inconvenience to you. You should give us all a chance, get off your high horse, and count your blessings that we were all in a position to save you from your demented cousin." Sam's voice had spiked in volume.

"Okay," I said deflated. He'd put me in my place.

"Now, back to my original question. What are you going to do with this hole?" he said, stabbing a finger in the general direction of the ground.

I smiled a little, feeling sheepish. "Plant a bush, maybe a gardenia. They're pretty."

"Come on. I'll drive you to town," he said.

A couple of hours later I had a little gardenia bush inside the hole, with proper drainage, fertilized, and the instructions on how to take care of it safely tucked under an empty pot on my porch. It probably wouldn't bloom for a couple of years, but when it did it would look and smell lovely.

I felt better overall. I felt tired, but in a good way, and was able to take a restful nap before my shift at work.

"Sookie," Pam said by way of greeting.

"Pam," I used her same tone. She looked sideways at me and gave me a half smile. I was putting my purse away inside Eric's office.

"What are you doing on Monday night?" she asked, looking like she didn't care about the answer.

"I have no plans," I said, wondering what _she_ was planning.

"Good. I will pick you up. Be ready at seven on the dot."

"Where are we going Pam?" I asked, as if I were asking a teenager why the car keys were in her hand.

"Monroe."

"Uh-huh… To do what?"

"The only thing worth doing in Monroe."

"Which is?" It was like pulling teeth, I swear.

Eric walked in and answered for her. "Shopping. Pam won't shop at the mall in Shreveport," he explained, then smiled softly. "Hi, Sookie."

Oh, hell! My heart had done a quick flip-flop at that smile. It'd been that kiss. I was a fool to think that Super Sookie would be immune to kisses, having never had any proper ones.

"Hi, Eric. Well, I'm off to work. I'll go shopping Pam. See y'all later," I said, and ran away. It was Saturday and it was a busy night. I couldn't linger in the back.

I didn't get a chance to think of much because we had an extremely large party visit the bar. It was a bachelorette party. I'd also caught why they were at the bar instead of at a strip club: the bride-to-be didn't like to see the guys strip, and preferred to walk on the wilder side with the vampires. Eric, the consummate businessman, did not disappoint. He had the girls (Indira, Thalia, Pam, another vampire named Sophia, and the tall one I'd first met Gabby) manning the bar and the door, while he had the males (Chow, Clancy, a Denzel Washington look-alike whose name I had yet to discover, a cute young one named George, and Eric himself) paying attention to the ladies. Plus the vampire patrons joined in the festivities, and who could blame them? They had willing females practically throwing themselves at anything with a fang, man, woman, they could have been a third gender and it wouldn't have made a difference.

After last call I tried not to look too hard at who was leaving with whom, and finished cleaning up my tables. I got a sense of déjà vu when a pair of glowing hands took the tray I was about to carry away, and set it back on the table.

"You said at another time," Eric said and took my hand. I had to think about it for a minute when I remembered I'd said I'd dance with him some other time. He led me to the dance floor. WDED was playing softer music now, the kind you could only dance by touching your partner.

Eric twirled me and then brought me close. I put my hand on his upper arm instead of his shoulder (to make it a little bit less intimate), and he was keeping it innocent by placing his spare hand on my back instead of my waist. Well, sort of innocent. If I had to describe the look in his eyes I'd call it smoldering.

We danced to Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game," and I have to say that I almost melted. Even my common sense had to take a break when that song came on and a beautiful man had me in his arms. I found my breath was coming a little faster, even though I wasn't exerting myself. He pulled me as close as he could, swaying us to the music, his cool body the perfect antidote to the new heat within my body.

That's it. It was physical, nothing else, right? My mind was running several miles a minute, my thoughts becoming more chaotic the longer he pierced through me with his glacial blue eyes.

Everything stopped when his lips alighted on mine, soft as feathers, his breath cool and sweet. He kissed my upper lip, then my lower lip. He brushed my lips with his once, twice, until mine parted to allow him in. His soft tongue invaded my mouth, and I sort of remembered what to do from the night before. Our tongues dueled slow and lazy, each moment that passed increased the energy of the kiss until I could barely breathe at all.

He pulled away first, but this time he didn't look away from me. I was almost panting, trying to catch my breath with my heart racing.

"Go on another date with me," he said. I knew it wasn't an order, even though it sounded like one. "Please," he added belatedly. He remembered I liked good manners.

I nodded and he smiled wide, putting his hands on either side of my face. "Thank you," he stole a quick kiss. "Go. Pam is waiting and she's not patient with me lately."

I giggled a little. Giggled! I couldn't believe myself. I was still smiling by the time I got to the office, and not even Pam's posture made me stop; if anything it made me smile wider. She had struck a pose that pretty much said "I'm mad," with her hands on her hips and tapping a foot on the floor. She was so small that you couldn't take her seriously (until she beat you up, of course).

"Well?" she asked, throwing her hands up in the air.

"Well what?" I shot back, retrieving my purse.

"Are you going or not? I didn't hear the answer." Oh, that's right. Super vampire hearing. She'd heard the question, but not my nod for an answer.

"Yes, we're going," I had to put her out of her misery.

Alright, wicked grin alert. "And that is why we're going shopping," she said, crossing her arms.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"No Sookie. Absolutely not, don't even think about it."

I felt like I was shopping with Gran. "But Pam…"

"I don't want to hear it. You're not wearing pants on a date. What are you thinking woman? I know who brought you up, young lady." Pam took the clothes from my hands and put them back on the rack. They'd been nice pants, with a zipper on the back. Perfect, really.

I arched my eyebrows at Pam because she'd called me a young lady, and really, she looked to be about twenty years old. "And how old were you when you were turned?"

"You know better than to ask a lady her age," she said and walked away, towards the dresses.

We were at Nordstrom's and I was cringing mentally every time I saw a price. But I had set some money aside for this little outing, so I was just going to spend it and darn it all. I deserved something nice after everything I'd been through. Just the night before I'd cried when I was washing a pot. A pot! Because it was Gran's rice pot, the one with the good lid.

Pam started taking dresses from the racks, looking for the right size and adding it to the pile on her arm. We'd gotten a couple of looks from people who'd guessed Pam was a vampire, and now she was proving it. Any human woman would have flagged under the weight of so many dresses, but she was holding her arm perfectly out and away from herself, holding about two hundred and twelve pounds of fabric. Give or take.

I was exhausted from trying on dresses, when we settled on one of the first ones I'd tried on. It was a sleeveless silk chiffon dress, with a thick band at the waist, thick straps (for bra purposes) and an A-line skirt. In blood red. I'd never owned a completely red dress. I never thought I could pull it off, to which Pam said "any woman can wear red with the right makeup."

So off we went to the makeup section. She told the lady at the counter exactly what she wanted for me, and the lady was scared to suggest anything else, but happy that Pam was buying so much.

"Pam, we're about to go over my budget," I warned her.

"Who says you're paying?" she asked, handing the lady her credit card.

"Who said you were? Pam I'm not destitute," I said in a mad hiss so that the lady couldn't hear us.

"I know that, but it was my idea to come shopping for you. I couldn't very well have you paying. Come on, shoes," she said pointing the way.

I didn't even attempt to look for shoes, because I knew it was a lost cause. She had the saleslady bring me a shoe in my size and have me try them both on and walk around the displays a couple of times. They were red, but unlike the ones I owned these had a strap across the ankle and were peep toe. That would look cute, I thought, until I ventured to look at the price.

"Pam! These cost more than the dress," I whispered frantically at her.

"Good shoes usually do," she said dismissively.

"How am I supposed to repay you for this?" I asked, sitting down and removing the pretty pair of ridiculously expensive shoes. Jimmy Choo, of course.

"When is your birthday?" she asked, perfectly aware of when my birthday was because she'd done my new hire paperwork and had needed that information. It'd been in July.

"That's unfair," I said.

"Why? I'm giving you a belated present and you're being a cranky know-it-all. Just because someone gives you something doesn't mean you need to reciprocate. Can't you say thank you and wear it well?" Pam was mad. Her fangs were just there. She was showing me tip.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, Pam. I'm sorry. I will enjoy all my belated birthday gifts and early Christmas gifts." She was about to protest when I raised a finger at her.

"I'm hungry," she said waiting for the saleslady to complete the transaction. I saw the woman gulp nervously, but I had to admit I wasn't sure what to do for Pam. I stretched out my hand and offered up my wrist. I'd never seen Pam laugh that hard, or laugh at all for that matter. She quickly retrieved a handkerchief from her purse and dabbed at her eyes.

It's interesting when pieces of a puzzle start falling into place. Vampires carried handkerchiefs (or at least Pam and Eric did) because they cried tears of blood. I'm sure there were other uses, but I didn't think too closely about them because I'd understood something else. Pam was an easy crier, which was why she avoided laughing or showing any emotion. The laughing quickly had her in tears and staining her handkerchief red.

"That was the best laugh I've had in a while," she said as we made our way to the parking lot, walking through the men's section of the store.

"I'm sorry I made you cry," I said, stopping at a display of polo shirts. Eric sometimes wore them instead of T-shirts. I liked him in polo shirts better.

"My God, Sookie! I just said you gave a great laugh and you are sorry about something. Sometimes I wonder about you." She looked at the shirt I held up. "He's an extra large tall, depending on the manufacturer. Sometimes he needs the 2XL."

I put the shirt down quickly. I don't know what I'd been thinking. "I'll keep in mind for Christmas."

"It's okay if you like him. He likes you too," she said in a quiet voice, very unlike her usual monotone.

"That's what I'm scared of," I said.

**A/N:** This chapter is a little bit shorter than others, but I wanted to go ahead and post it to set up for the next one. Sookie and Eric are going on a date. Hopefully a quiet one. We'll see where my sick muse takes me. Bill is making me wary. Hmm… :-/


	9. Palomita Blanca

**A/N: **LEMON ALERT! Have to say it, just in case. This is where it happens, my dears.

By the way… It always irks me when the vampires drive too fast with humans in the car, and this is why: Sure, vampires have super great reflexes, terrific! But cars do not, they're machines. You over-correct too quickly and you end up wearing the car as a hat. Any old vampire would know this, since they would have been driving for well over a hundred years. My point is that Eric will drive the Corvette fast, but only on the highway, and only if the highway is relatively empty of traffic, none of that weaving in and out of lanes. And, as always, everyone wears their seatbelt, because it's the law and Eric's a Sheriff. :-P

**Chapter 9 – Palomita Blanca**

I had to wait a few days so that Eric's schedule and mine coincided and we both had a night off. Tuesday and Wednesday were usual nights at Fangtasia. Eric was there but I tried to avoid him as much as I could

"I hope you're not this shy tomorrow night," Pam said to me on Wednesday as we were leaving. We'd parked next to each other and were standing between our cars.

"What do you mean? I'm not shy," I said, not completely believing my own statement.

"The man gives you a kiss and you avoid him like the plague. It can mean one of two things: either he kisses badly - and I happen to know that's not it - or you are shy to be close again," she explained.

I felt my cheeks turning red and hot. I didn't like it when she reminded me that she and Eric had a sexual relationship (even though it had been well over 250 years before, and she didn't speak of it often). Plus, she might have been right about my being shy. Or maybe a prude. Or inexperienced. All of the above?

I shrugged. "I've been nothing but my usual gracious self."

"Yes, to everybody else," she opened her car door. "It's only Eric," she added and got in her car.

I got in mine and drove home thinking so hard that I didn't even turn on the radio. Maybe to Pam, Eric was simply just another man. To me he was incredibly scary, but not because he was a vampire (though that was certainly something to consider). He had shown me what it should feel like to be a woman.

I'd had crushes that had quickly been extinguished by the thoughts I could read in the mind of each guy. I had liked unattainable actors or singers, but those were the safe ones, the ones I'd never meet and would never hurt me.

Now I had the opportunity to have a normal relationship, or as normal as someone like me could have. Eric's thoughts were closed to me, so there was a great deal to learn the normal way, through talking and watching. There was also the incredibly scary fact that he could hurt me, not physically (I didn't think him capable), but in other less tangible ways.

Everyone hurt their heart at one time or another. I knew this because I could see it in the minds of every single person I'd ever been in contact with. I remembered when we were younger, and Tara's first boyfriend had broken up with her. She was devastated, like a piece of her heart had died. I'd read that pain right off her brain.

I couldn't swim if I didn't get in the pool. I couldn't dance if I didn't go out to the dance floor. I had to do it. I had to take the chance, make the leap, go in head first and experience life like a regular person. Eric had asked, so I would go out with him, and let the chips fall where they may after that.

My decision made, I felt better about it. I could breathe. This was an adventure, after all. Dating a vampire, an amazingly beautiful one, who danced so well and could kiss like the devil… It was a little exciting. I got a little trembling in the middle of my belly at the thought. It was like a quickening of my whole body, I would call it a small thrill, and I smiled like a loon.

When I got home I found a kitten on my porch steps. That was unexpected and a little creepy, knowing what I knew about shape shifters. She meowed at me, a tiny little nothing, and my heart broke. She was so cute. I wasn't going to bring her in, but I did bring out a can of tuna, the closest thing I found to cat food. I'd had cats before, and from experience I knew she had to be around six or seven months old. How she had ended up at my house was beyond me. After making sure she'd eaten, I left her outside. If she came back I'd ask Sam or one of the vampires if she was a real cat or something more.

My life had turned very… interesting.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Did you polish your nails?" Pam asked on the phone.

"Quit it, Pam. You're making me nervous," I said. I had followed all her instructions because I knew she would ask later, and I could lie but I didn't like to. She'd told me exactly how to do my makeup, my hair, my nail and toe polish, what to wear over the dress if it was a cool night, to walk all day in the shoes (yeah, that had been bizarre – Mickey Mouse nightgown and Jimmy Choo heels – a winning combination).

"Alright, let's talk about something else," she offered.

"I found a kitten on my porch last night, but I don't know if it's a real cat or a shape shifter," I said, remembering I needed to ask.

"Oh, that's easy. Ask Sam to sniff it."

"It is a she," I said, a little offended. I'd seen her that morning again and noticed her markings. She was a mackerel tabby, mostly black with orange stripes and spots, with green eyes. I'd also ascertained that she really was a girl.

"Well, if _she_ let you look that closely, I'm thinking _she_ is probably a real cat. Eric will be there any minute, have him look at her."

At Pam's mention of Eric my heart did a somersault and I forgot all about the cat. I was nervous about the date, and some of it stemmed from the fact that he hadn't told me where we were going, and Pam didn't want to give away the surprise. She kept saying she didn't know; the little liar.

"Pam, I'm really nervous," I confessed in a small voice. If not to her, to whom?

Pam's voice was softer when she answered. "I know, Sookie, you've been like that for days. But there's nothing to be nervous about. You two get along great. If it makes you feel any better, I know he's nervous too."

"Really? Really?" I was so bewildered I repeated myself. Eric? Nervous?

"Maybe not as much as you. He means to please you and you're hard to please," she said, back to her monotone.

"I am?"

"Sookie…" I heard an intake of breath, "sometimes I wonder about you. Tell you what: be your sweet Sookie self, no more and no less." To me she sounded a bit cryptic, but since I had no intention of being Mean Sookie, I just shook my head and dismissed her statement.

"I think I hear a car," I said, standing up from the sofa where I'd been waiting… impatiently. Eric wasn't late. I'd been ready early.

"Good night, Sookie," Pam said, and didn't wait for me to say anything before hanging up. Typical vampire, by the way. They always got the last word in.

I took some deep breaths waiting for the doorbell. It didn't slow down my heart, but it calmed my brain enough to move deliberately to grab my clutch purse, put my phone in it, and check my lipstick in the mirror above the fireplace.

I opened the door a modest amount of time after Eric rang the doorbell. I knew it was him because there was a big round void of mind behind the door. I hadn't noticed I'd put up my shields until I relaxed into the mind behind the door. What a strange habit to develop…

"Hi, Eric," I said when I caught sight of him. I knew I had my nervous smile on, so I tried to soften it a little. He wasn't helping. He looked too good, if that's possible. He'd put his hair into a low ponytail, so his face wasn't obscured in any way. He was wearing a dark gray suit, definitely tailored, with a light blue shirt, and no tie. I could see the little dip where his throat met his chest, and quickly looked back up to his face.

"Sookie, you look beautiful," he said. His smile had spread to his eyes, and I knew Pam had done a good job. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," _as ready as I'll ever be_, I thought, but it would have been rude to say. I took the hand he offered and followed him to the Corvette.

Inside his car I noticed he'd worn just a tiny bit of cologne, something fresh and citrusy, but still manly. It was hard to describe, but it smelled wonderful. Pam had made me wear one of the purchases, and only on my wrists and the back of my knees.

"Our sense of smell is much better than yours, so one little spray for all four points is all you need," she'd said. So I had sprayed the perfume on my left wrist, rubbed my right, and reached behind each knee.

"So… where are we going?" I asked, and forced a smile. I figured if I forced it, it might actually turn into a sincere one.

Eric shot me a sincere one of his own. "It's a surprise. What did you do today?" he asked, changing the subject.

Besides getting ready for the date of a lifetime? Oh, well… I guessed I'd better answer him. "I baked some cookies and took them to one of Gran's friends who's been under the weather…"

"Sookie's cookies," Eric mumbled from his seat, smiling to himself.

I giggled a little. "And then I did a little laundry. Nothing too interesting," I concluded. "What did you do?" I turned the tables on him. _Take that!_

"I slept, of course," he smiled and looked at me, "and dreamt of you."

Oh, jeez! I looked away, shy, yes. I was admiring the scenery from my side of the road when I felt a soft finger on my neck.

"I like you, Sookie. Surely you know that by now. I like dancing with you, and kissing you. Even watching a movie with you is an enjoyable experience. Do you not like me?" he asked.

I'd turned to him, watching him speak. He was trying to look at me and look at the road, back and forth. "I like you too," I said in a very low voice. He'd heard me.

"Do you think maybe you'll stop running away from me and kiss me more often? I truly like your kisses," he said while I became a Sookie-like puddle in the fancy leather seat.

I nodded and looked away. Nobody had ever spoken to me that way. I really hoped he meant it. I gathered a shred of courage, "I like kissing you too," I all but whispered.

"It's okay to be shy, Sookie. Eventually it won't be so hard for you, once you know me better," he paused. "I do bite though" he said and smiled wide.

I snickered. He'd given me permission to be shy, but I didn't want to be. I'd just have to make an effort. I would start by changing the station on the radio because it was driving me nuts. Of course, I wasn't going to be rude about it.

"May I?" I asked Eric, pointing at the radio.

"Of course," he said immediately, reaching for something which turned out to be a tiny remote. Huh.

He'd been listening to hard metal, and I just wasn't in the mood. I wanted something peppier. I found the Top 40 station and regretted it. Lately the Top 40 included some not-so-interesting stuff. So I kept searching and settled on a mix station. We rode in silence for a little bit until the station decided to play "Bad Things," and I made a less than ladylike sound.

"What's the matter? You don't like that song?" Eric asked. I knew he was smiling. I wondered if he was making fun of me.

"They would play it over and over at Merlotte's. I grew to hate it," I said, listening to the singer's soft twang.

"I like it. It was the song that was playing when I saw you for the first time," he confessed.

I blinked. I remembered. The song had just started playing for a second time in as many minutes, but I forgot about it because Eric had walked in and I was excited that there was a vampire in the bar.

"I can't believe you remember that," I said.

"Super vampire memory," he said helpfully, tapping his temple.

"Really? Vampires have better memories?" I asked.

"We have better retention of memories, yes, though not better memories. Not in my experience."

I was quiet after that revelation. Fifty lifetimes full of everything, good _and_ bad. What horrors had he seen that he was doomed to remember? And always at night. No sunshine for a thousand years. I chose to redirect the conversation a little.

"What wonders you must remember over such a long lifetime," I said in a soft voice. I was awed by both wonders and horrors.

Eric appreciated my effort. "Yes, many. Some of my favorites are the natural things, like meteor showers and lunar eclipses. Have you ever seen the moon turn red?"

"No," I said wide eyed.

"During some lunar eclipses the moon turns as bright as your dress. It doesn't last very long. You have to catch it at the right time."

"What else? What else do you remember?"

"Phosphorescent bays are beautiful. There are these little worms at the bottom that light up, like fireflies inside the water." Eric kept describing things he'd admired: a castle made of rock, the aurora borealis, Stonehenge, Alhambra, fields of tulips, Stockholm.

"How many languages do you speak?" I asked suddenly. We'd gotten off the highway by then, and we were headed to downtown Shreveport.

"Twelve, though I can only read and write in six of them."

"I feel very small and insignificant," I muttered out loud.

"Sookie, you can't compare yourself to an old man. You are extraordinary in your own way."

"You're right."

"I know I am."

"You _are_ very old," I said and laughed. He caught on. He may have been old, but his mind could cut diamonds.

"We are here," he announced, pulling up to the front of a fancy building. I couldn't tell what it was from just looking at it. There were no signs. The building was several stories tall, with a brick façade and ornate ironwork. It looked like a historical building.

A valet opened my door. He was a young man with a brain that screamed "other." I quickly blocked him and didn't accept his hand, politely telling him that I preferred my date's help. Eric obliged immediately, taking my hand and threading his long fingers through mine.

We walked through two sets of doors before I saw where Eric had brought me. It was a Latin club for supes. Who knew? We got there relatively early, and were shown to a table. They had a menu for me and a list of available drinks for Eric.

"This is really nice," I said, truly enjoying the place. The tables were raised in two tiers above the dance floor, and the dance floor was significantly larger than Fangtasia's. Nobody was dancing yet. Most of the people that were there at that hour were having dinner. The music was on, but it wasn't deafening. We could hold a conversation easily.

"I'm very glad you like it. I was hoping you'd join me for a dance later," he winked.

I made a face. "I don't know how to dance to Latin music. I might trip you."

"Nonsense. You dance very well. Besides, it's all in the leading," he said smiling wide. Where had I heard that line before?

"Eric, really? You're quoting from _Twilight _now? The book is for teenagers," I said trying not to laugh, and failing.

"I had to see what my child was reading. She was a teenager when I turned her, after all."

I leaned forward, my smile fading. "Really?"

"Pam was nineteen, and very independent and headstrong. Some things don't change when you turn," he shook his head. "She was considered a grown woman back then. Nowadays a nineteen year old is just a little girl."

I felt like I was reading somebody's diary. "Maybe we should speak of Pam when she's here," I said.

"I agree. Don't tell her I said anything, please."

I nodded, "Of course. She'd have our asses on stakes."

Eric reached across the table with both hands palms up, asking for my hands silently. I put my hands in his, seeing the difference in size for the first time before closing mine around his.

"How about that dance?" he asked again.

I looked up from our hands to his eyes. "Yes, I'll dance with you."

I ate my food and he nursed a True Blood. We spoke more about our likes and dislikes, our loves and hates, passions, must-haves. The conversation was easy and came naturally. There was nothing forced, no awkward silences. I drank some liquid courage in the form of a mojito and told Eric we should go try the dancing thing.

There were several couples on the dance floor, but it wasn't full. Eric chose a corner, so he could teach me basic moves, and then we were off. Latin music was not that difficult, if you got into the rhythm. Plus it _was_ all in the leading. He really, really was a great dancer, and a good teacher to boot. We turned and moved in synch. Just like our conversation, it was easy, natural.

The salsa rhythms were sensual, soft and sexy all at the same time. I had the least difficulty with that dance. Eric seemed to love the way my hips swayed, judging solely by how often his hands drifted down to them and how many times I had to guide them back up.

The trick with merengue was to leave your partner and come back, without letting go of his hand. Eric wouldn't let go of my hand, but time and again I ended up slamming into him when I returned, making us laugh every time, until I was doing it only because I was laughing so hard and not paying attention. Eric's determined smile told me at some point I'd get it.

Eric also taught me a new way to dance close during a bachata. It was like a slow merengue, that's the best way to describe it. During one of the bachata dances, Eric brought me very close, pressing me against him. I found myself leaning my face against his chest, comfortable with this type of closeness for the first time in my life. The song that was playing sounded beautiful and sorrowful. I could understand its general tone, even if I didn't understand the words.

Eric bent his head over mine to whisper the meaning of the song in my ear. "Little white dove, tell her my song on your wings. Tell her that the nights haven't changed, of love they spoke and haven't left. Tell her that I love her and I miss her, that I've not forgotten and I've suffered." He wiped the tear from my cheek with his thumb. It figures the song could be interpreted in two ways. He meant to make me fall in love with him, and I got a little heartsick for my Gran.

"My poor Sookie, I'm sorry," he said, kissing the cheek that was still damp. I was going to say something about how silly I was being, but he didn't let me. His kiss continued to my mouth, where he left soft reminders of kisses past.

"Do you want me to take you home?" he asked. We'd been dancing for three hours, at least. I was tired and now sad. Plus the end of the night meant a kiss. I hoped.

"Yes, please," I said looking up, still close to him. He smiled softly and nodded.

Eric switched the radio station in the car to some classical music, which was nice. When I was little and had nightmares right after my parents died, Gran had put a tape of classical music to help me sleep, so I always associated it with something soothing and nocturnal. I reclined the seat a little and turned to my side, curling up as best I could.

In the dim lights of the highway, Eric's natural soft glow looked supernatural. I reached up to touch his cheek, feeling bold. He turned his face to me, a little surprised I guessed, but then pressed his cheek into my hand. He took my hand from his face and kissed the palm, holding it captive for as long as he drove on the highway.

At my house, I refused to let go of his hand as I walked to open the front door. He followed without pulling away. Once the door was closed and locked, I turned back to him.

"What do you want, Sookie?" he asked, getting closer.

I felt my breathing pick up along with my heart rate. "A kiss."

"Just one Sookie?"

I shook my head. I wanted many, but had lost my ability for speech.

Eric put me out of my misery by ducking his head and kissing my neck, threading his fingers in my hair so that he could move me to his will. I didn't want to close my eyes; I didn't want my hands to be empty. I wanted his scent, his tongue, his shoulders, his face.

I struggled to put my mouth on his, until he relented and let me do as I wished. I pulled him down to me, or pulled myself up to him. Somehow I'd caught hold of his lips, feeling a strange frenzy build inside me, pulling him even closer, wanting to get inside him through osmosis.

He picked me up without breaking the kiss, and carried me to my bedroom, setting me gently on the bed and finding his place above me. He knelt briefly to take off his jacket and turn on the side lamp. His jacket landed somewhere in my bedroom, along with his shoes.

I caressed his face while we kissed. I wanted to keep touching him, touching his skin. Emboldened by the kiss, I began to undo the buttons of his shirt. Eric pulled away.

"Sookie, do you want this?" he asked, his voice husky.

"Yes," I answered, almost without voice; almost without air.

He ducked his head to kiss my earlobe, making me gasp at how wonderful it felt. He followed with soft kisses down my neck, over my throat, at my jaw, as his hands started undoing my hair. I remembered I'd been undoing buttons, so I continued with those, only to be stopped by his hands on mine.

He stood up from the bed, and brought me up too, drawing me close. He reached behind me and pulled down the zipper of my dress, gently tugged at the shoulder straps and let it fall to the floor. I felt hot all over and hotter still where his eyes roamed. I stepped out of the dress and he caught me, to kiss me again, his mouth on mine was smooth. Delicious. I was so lost in the kiss that didn't notice he'd taken off all his clothes and was standing naked before me when he made me sit back on the bed.

I'd never seen a man naked before, not in person, and Eric was spoiling me for other men. Every muscle was finely sculpted and I was mesmerized by the sight of his movement, soft glowing skin over hard sinew. He reached for my leg, bringing it up to undo the shoe strap at my ankle, caressing my leg and making me shiver. He did the same with the other shoe, this time kissing his way down my leg. I was panting, trying to keep my wits about me, if only to enjoy everything fully.

"Eric," I said his name and it sounded like a moan.

"Mmm?" he mumbled from the back of my right knee. His left hand was holding my leg up, and his right hand was making its way down the inside of my thigh.

"Eric I've never done this before," I said, grabbing his hand to stop him.

He looked at me then. His fangs were fully out and his pupils were dilated enormously. He never looked more beautiful. "I've never done this either, Sookie. This will be our first time making love."

"No, Eric," I sat up. "This is my first time ever." I made myself into a small, semi naked ball sitting on the bed.

Eric sat next to me, coaxing me legs straight in front of me. In one quick motion he had me lying snuggled against his side, with my head tucked between his shoulder and his neck. From this vantage point I could see all of him. _All of him_. Was that supposed to go inside me? I looked up before I could chicken out due to size.

"My dearest Sookie," he breathed against my forehead after planting a soft kiss. "I know this is your first time, and we don't have to do anything. I can be patient. But I'll be gentle, if you let me." His deep silky voice rumbled within his chest, and his hands were caressing my back and my arm. My own hand roamed of its own accord over his chest. I marveled at how smooth his skin was there: no pimples, no blemishes or dry skin, just soft downy hair until I came across a perky nipple.

Eric brought me up a little, looking for my mouth again and finding me eager to return his kiss. "Touch me, Sookie," he said against my lips. "I am yours, touch me."

My heart stuttered before it restarted at double time. It wasn't only his command, but his words telling me he was mine. Mine to touch. Mine to make love to. I kept kissing him, letting my hand wander over his chest once more, down to his stomach, pausing to stretch there, then moved down a little more, pausing at the diagonal line of his hip. I pulled away from our kiss. I'd never seen a man up close before. Color me curious, as well as excited and scared out of my wits, which would explain why I was now running a finger softly over his most intimate part, making Eric twitch under my touch. I had no brains left.

He had me on my back and pinned to the bed faster than I could blink. He reached behind me, unfastening my bra in one easy move. It landed somewhere in my bedroom, I was sure of it. Eric knelt in front of me, pulling down my panties and trying to admire me. But I was still feeling shy, or call it self-conscious, so I quickly closed my legs and covered my breasts.

"Let me see you, my lover," he whispered, caressing my arms. I'd expected him to tug, but he was keeping his promise of being gentle. My arms acquiesced (not a Word of the Day, I knew that one) and fell to my sides, my legs doing the same when he ran his smooth hands over them.

I was trembling a little out of nerves and excitement, when he descended onto one of my breasts, to kiss it softly. Immediately my body responded by offering everything to him: my nipples hardened, my skin got goose bumps, and I could feel a wetness between my legs. I had to touch him again, so I ran my hands over his forearms, softly scratching them with my nails on the return. Eric's mouth was doing clever things to my nipples, and though the feeling wasn't unpleasant, I was getting more of a kick out of seeing him do that to me, than out of the feeling itself.

He caught me looking and smiled. "You like this," he stated. It wasn't a question.

"Yes," I managed to agree.

"That's good. There's more."

"Okay," I said, out of breath again because his hand started roaming south of my navel.

Eric kissed a path from the bottom of my breasts down to the part that makes me woman. To say I was surprised when he kissed me there would be an understatement. He gently parted my legs further, pushing my knees up for better access to my center, and apparently found what he was looking for. I knew what he wanted, it was one of my favorite parts too, but I didn't know that the sensation would be so different when your partner was the one giving you pleasure. I gasped when his tongue found the little nub, playing with it lazily before making a deep path to another part altogether different.

I arched my back, bucking against him when his attentions made me shiver with a thrill. I felt one slender finger reach into my core, as his mouth kept its gentle assault on my senses. I felt another thrill run through me and I moaned a little, unable to stop it. He made a little "mmm" noise from somewhere inside me, sending sweet vibrations to my core at the same time that another finger entered, stretching, preparing, slowly torturing me. The little thrills started coming more often, building up as I watched his beautiful face buried inside me, his blue eyes caught mine as he turned a little, biting the very inside of my thigh and sending me into convulsions of ecstasy.

I don't know what I said, I don't know what I did, all I know is that Eric reappeared above me, his hair wild around his head, kissing my lips while I moaned into his and tasted my juices and my blood on his lips and tongue. I felt him at my entrance, a soft thick pressure asking permission. I nodded frantically, feeling the pressure slide further in, slowly, so slow.

"Eric," I gasped. I was so hot and he was so cool. I never knew I would need someone inside me so badly, and there he was, but it wasn't enough.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked, about to pull away.

"No! Please, please," I begged. I didn't know what had come over me, or what I was asking for exactly. I pulled him to me, wanting to feel his weight and all of him inside me.

"Sookie," he breathed, letting me pull him closer. "Look at me my lover," he said, his voice so tender I didn't ever want to look away. "That's right you're my lover, mine, my Sookie."

His words had distracted me, and he was fully inside me, not moving, letting my body get used to the invasion for a minute or two while he kissed me. It was a bit uncomfortable when he started moving a little, but it wasn't painful.

"Are you ready, my lover?" he asked. His voice had gotten raspy, almost.

"Yes, Eric, please," I begged again.

He picked up the pace a little, with longer thrusts, holding himself up with one arm, and reaching between us with the other. He found my little nub and rubbed around it gently as he made love to me. I couldn't look away from his eyes, the blue in them almost gone into a sea of black. His need was a wild thing, and it started sending thrills through me again, building up, until I cried out and exploded under Eric's body. His mouth was on mine, muffling my cries and his name on my lips. He threaded his arms under my back, bringing us close. I crossed my legs over his hips, and he began thrusting deeper, and faster.

I cried out one more time, losing my hold on him. Eric curled into me, saying my name over and over until he thrust deeply and convulsed inside me, making a deep guttural sound against my neck. Then he collapsed. I took his weight, marveling at what we had just done.

**A/N:** Whew! *wipes brow, goes outside in the cold to cool down* Reviews please, while I try to catch my own breath.


	10. Questionable Shapes

**A/N:** This chapter is a little fluffy on top (since I'm setting up for other things) and a little lemony at the bottom. I shall call it my lemon meringue pie. As always thank you for the wonderful reviews I got on my first lemon ever. Y'all rock, per usual. :-)

**Chapter 10 – Questionable Shapes**

My bedroom was quiet, warm, the soft glow from the bedside lamp making everything look different. I felt different. I wasn't sure if I had lost or gained something. Eric was lying on his left side, humming a soft song, and I was lying on my right, tucked into him. I couldn't close my eyes. Something in me had shifted with regards to him. I wanted him again, and soon. He'd said he was mine, and I his, and I wanted to believe him so badly I could taste it.

A sweet caress on my hair made me look up. The blue in Eric's eyes had returned, and his fangs had retracted completely. He was glowing brighter than ever, and I wondered if it was as a result of our lovemaking or of taking my blood.

"You look brighter," I said, reaching up and smoothing his hair a little. I'd left it a mess.

"What do you mean?" he asked, turning his face to kiss my wrist.

"The glow of your skin is brighter," I explained.

He looked at me with wide eyes, surprised. "You see me glow?"

"Yes. All vampires do. I thought…"

"Only supes can see that."

"I thought everyone could see you guys that way. But thanks for thinking I'm a supe," I said smiling. "Why are you brighter? Was it my blood?"

"Sookie, I still can't believe you can see me glow, give me a minute," he said, exploring my face, as if it held the answer to his question. "Well, it would make sense," he mumbled after a moment.

"What would?" I asked, feeling a little peeved for being left out of the mental conversation he was having.

"That you would be some type of supernatural being. Your gift is unusual, Sookie, and it's stronger than you can control. You may not be fully human."

"Obviously," I mumbled.

"Don't take it so hard, it's more of a theory than an obvious thing. I spoke without thinking and I'm sorry I offended you," he was looking intensely into my eyes when he said that.

"I'm not exactly offended. Let's talk about something else." This topic of conversation sounded like something we could hash out for hours, and I didn't feel like talking about anything important. "Answer my question. Why are you brighter?"

"Fresh infusion of your delicious blood, my little Sookie. Thank you," he said and kissed my nose.

"Your bite didn't hurt. Was it supposed to hurt?"

"It could have hurt, but why would I hurt you? You're my lover and gave me your blood willingly. Did you enjoy it?" His eyes were sparkling waiting for my answer.

"Yes, very much."

"Are you sore? Do you need me to heal you?" he asked, his smile turning into a frown.

"Not really sore. I guess the first time is supposed to be painful, but it wasn't, just a little discomfort and then it was gone," I said, feeling like sharing.

"I told you I'd be gentle. You deserve nothing less. Next time there will be no discomfort at all," he said, sure of himself.

I looked at him googly eyed, just to mess with him. "Will there be a next time?"

"Sookie, you're something else," he said chuckling. Apparently there was no way to mess with him, or none that I had discovered. "I would make love to you again right now, but we have to let your body heal a little, and I have to find shelter before the dawn."

I shifted and pulled myself up a little, to kiss him. He met me halfway and we kissed softly, only our lips touching. "I truly like your kisses," he whispered huskily, "and I don't want to leave your side." He pulled away, but only to tuck me into his chest.

"Don't run away from me again, please," he said. His voice in his chest reverberated through my whole body. That's how close we were.

"I won't, I promise," I said, meaning it.

"Would you go on another date with me? Would you like to go dancing again? I know a German restaurant. We can go celebrate Oktoberfest," he offered.

I chuckled. "Why don't we go to a movie? Or just stay in?"

"Because you deserve to be wooed and courted, and the only way I know of doing that is taking you out on a date," he answered, flooring me for sure. He really wasn't thinking sex only. He was talking of courting, as in gaining my love and admiration. Whoa!

"Movie on the next date, Oktoberfest on the date after that," I answered, trying to reach a compromise.

Eric waggled his eyebrows. "You haven't seen anything until you've seen me in lederhosen."

I laughed. Hard.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Eric had left at close to five in the morning. He said he'd make it home by six, well before the sunrise. I wondered about his house out loud and he said he'd take me during one of our dates.

I woke up at one in the afternoon, barely believing I'd slept a full eight hours, and most of them during the day. I decided to give myself a lazy day. I was a little sore from the night before, but not where I expected. Apparently there were muscles used during lovemaking that I didn't use in my day to day activities. My thighs were sore, my abdomen was sore, it was a strange feeling. It only served to make me remember the night before.

I sat outside sipping coffee, and the little kitten approached me, weaving her way between my legs. I went and got her another can of tuna. She would love me forever. She was eating her treat when Sam pulled up my driveway. How opportune (my Word of the Day – I'd only known the antonym).

"Sookie, you look well," he said, and his eyes alighted on the kitten.

"Sam, please tell me she's a real cat," I pleaded with the tone of my voice.

"The baby, yes. She's just a little kitty," he answered immediately and bent to pet her.

"I guess I can keep her then," I said. I watched Sam as he picked her up and inspected her, turning her this way and that.

"I'm checking for illnesses," he explained. I must have made a face. "You can keep her, sure. Gosh, Sookie! That you're even asking that question is so strange."

"Yeah… well. I would have brought you inside in a heartbeat if I hadn't known it was you. I like animals a little too much, and Gran always made me keep them outside. But now the house is too quiet. I wouldn't mind a little kitty to keep me company," I said, crouching down to pet my new cat while she ate the rest of her tuna. "Tuna… Tina. I'll name her Tina," I said with conviction.

Sam chuckled. "You seemed to have been visited by a vampire recently, so you can't be too lonely."

I looked at him like he'd grown another head. "What makes you say that?"

"The smell of vampire is everywhere here, even on you. Was Pam over?" he asked. His smile looked innocent enough.

"Eric and Pam, both," I lied a little. Well, they _both_ had been here at some point, just not at the same time. "Where are my manners?" I asked briskly. "Can I offer you something to drink? Or eat? It's past lunch, but maybe…"

"It's okay, Sookie," he interrupted with a smile. "I was coming back from the restaurant supply store and decided to visit you for a minute, to see how you're doing, not so you can feed me."

"Oh," I smiled back. "I'm used to my brother stopping by for lunch," I mumbled by way of explanation. I hadn't seen or spoken to Jason since the funeral.

Sam and I said our goodbyes, and I curled back on a chair, now with my new kitty climbing over me with her baby claws, when a delivery van arrived. The outside said it all. I was getting flowers.

Boy, was I getting flowers! The delivery guy emerged from the van with a giant arrangement of, apparently, everything in the store. I signed and got the flowers inside, reading the note. In the handwriting I was beginning to recognize from working with him, Eric had written: _Thank you for a wonderful night. I am looking forward to many more by your side. Yours, E_

I took a shower and ran to the Walmart, to buy everything I needed for my new kitty. She would hate me now that I was going to give her real cat food, but it couldn't be helped. It felt good to have someone to take care of, something that was mine. I would have to call a vet and make an appointment. Thankfully I still had the money I'd set aside from when I went shopping with Pam that I'd never used. I would use it to take care of my kitty instead.

At Fangtasia I was quickly cornered by Pam, who locked us in Eric's office.

"He wouldn't tell me anything," she said. If she wasn't always so stoic I would have imagined she'd have pouted.

"What do you want to know?" I asked. I couldn't help my smile.

"Oh!" her eyes went wide. "Oh! Ooooh! You did it, didn't you?"

"Pam! Super vampire hearing, remember?" I said, not wanting to share any gossip with anybody.

"But you're okay, right? He was… attentive?" she asked. Her face was changing quickly with emotions she was trying to suppress.

"I'm only telling you 'cause you're my friend, but it doesn't leave here," I said, though I trusted her. She wouldn't go blabbing to anyone, other than Eric. "He was very sweet and we had a wonderful date. Later he stayed until five. He also sent me a beautiful arrangement of flowers." I didn't have to go into any more detail. She understood.

"Finally!" she threw her hands up in the air. "Maybe now he will ask you directly what you're thinking instead of trying to get it from me."

"That's very junior high," I said, frowning.

"Yes, I agree. He doesn't know how to behave around you. But now things are settled. C'mon. Let's enthrall the vermin," she said, pulling me to the door.

Eric was on the other side when she opened it, and I could feel my automatic smile, the one I'd reserved just for him. He was looking directly at me.

"Pam, I need Sookie," he said, without even looking at her.

"I'm sure you do," she said, earning herself a terse look from him. "Fine, but don't keep her. It'll be busy tonight."

Eric closed the door behind her, and proceeded to close the gap between us. He took my face in his hands and kissed me hard. I hugged his waist, taking in his sweet scent and his taste.

"Hi," I said pulling away a little.

He was struggling. His fangs had run out and his eyes were dilated. "You smell so good. How do I keep my hands off you all night?"

It was a rhetorical question, but I answered it anyway. "By remembering you're big, bad, and important, and you have a lot of things to do other than touching me."

"You are correct, but they're not half as fun for me. Or for you," he smiled, his fangs retracting. "Are you free on Monday?"

"I'll check with my boss and get back to you," I said.

"Although I don't think I can wait until Monday," he said, pulling me close again, and ducking his head into my neck.

"Eric!" I protested, but it was half-hearted. "Eric, thank you for the flowers," I breathed out. He was nibbling at my ear now, and I loved that in particular.

"My pleasure," he whispered with an emphasis on _pleasure_. I felt his tongue explore my earlobe. Oh, God! What had I gotten myself into?

"I think you went overboard," I gasped. One of his hands was trying to squirrel its way into my dress to touch my breast.

"I never go overboard. Everything I do is just right," he said, bending a little farther and kissing the soft rise of my chest.

"We can't have sex here, Eric. I can't…" I whispered, feeling pretty sure about that idea.

He pulled away from my chest to kiss my mouth again. It felt like a goodbye kiss, a soft peck. "I know, Sookie. I wouldn't do that to you anyway. This is not the place for you."

I kissed him back. "Thank you," I said, smoothing his hair. My hands hadn't been idle during our brief "session."

Eventually I made it out and started working, busting my ass all the more so no one would think I was going to take it easy just because I was sleeping with the boss. Nobody seemed to know about us, though, which was fine with me. Eric stayed in his office tending to some paperwork before it was his turn at the stage. Pam was sitting pretty on one of thrones, having taken a liking to a human girl who had approached her. She must have been in a good mood.

I'd left my section to pick up a drink order, and when I returned I found four vampires sitting at one of my tables. One of them was Bill Compton, and he was sitting with a woman and two men. They were beautiful, as all vampires are, but there was something off about them. They were dressed to party, so they fit in the bar just fine. The woman had flawless dark brown skin and wildly curly hair, which she had taken care to tame with a band. Her makeup had been carefully applied, and she had worn a pair of jeggins with a halter top. The men were scary as hell, one of them covered in creepy tattoos (not like Chow's which were a work of art), and the other guy gave me the willies when he looked at me licking his lips as I approached their table.

I realized what had made me leery was the way they moved. It wasn't the graceful motions I was used to from the vampires I knew (even Bill). It was the jerky movements of a bird of prey eyeing dinner. I remembered Pam saying she didn't like the company Bill kept, and now I could see why.

With every ounce of self-possession I had, I asked for their order, keeping it professional though all I wanted to do was run away.

"Who might you be?" the woman asked, way too interested.

I kept it polite. "I am Sookie and I'm your server tonight." I could feel my nervous smile tugging at the corners of my mouth.

"Sookie? Is this your neighbor, Bill?" the woman said turning to look at Bill instead of me. I had a tiny panic attack. Why was Bill talking about me to these people?

"Yes," Bill answered her. His face was serious, though all three of his companions' faces broke into smiles.

"She's just a little savory morsel, ain't she?" one of the males said.

I swallowed hard and felt when another empty mind approached me. Eric's thick arm came sideways and pushed me back behind him so he could take my place next to the table. He stood up to his full height, inflating his lungs and crossing his arms. He looked huge and formidable.

"I don't believe I know your companions, Bill. Do they owe me fealty or are they visiting?" Eric asked.

A soft hand grabbed mine and pulled. It was Indira. "Let's give them some space," she said in a soft voice and we walked away, getting close to the stage.

Pam had disappeared. Chow was in front of the bar instead of behind it. Clancy and George had appeared out of thin air and were standing back, completely still, assessing the situation. The music was still playing loud and the humans were still partying, oblivious to what was going on with the vampires.

"What's going on?" I asked Indira in the softest whisper I could muster.

"They never checked in with Eric. They're supposed to do that right away when they enter a new territory for any period of time. They've been here for about two weeks, but nobody knew where they were staying. Now that they're here they're in trouble." All this she had whispered in my ear.

In the meantime Pam had reappeared. She stayed behind us, hiding behind Indira. I think she was hiding a weapon, because she was not one to hide at all.

Eric turned back to us, his fangs out, and reached the three of us in two or three giant strides. He took me by the arm and led me to a corner, with Indira and Pam looking on bewildered.

"Look like I'm reprimanding you," he whispered, frowning in a very irate way. I didn't have to do much, since I was already feeling confused and scared. I looked down and nodded.

"I want to hide you but they will wonder why. It is best if you stay out here and continue your job as if nothing happened. I'll be out here to keep an eye on them," he said in a fast mad whisper.

I nodded again, still looking at my shoes. I had a thousand new worries running through my head, not the least of which was that Bill was my neighbor. My only neighbor. Weird easy-listening bastard.

"Now go back to work," Eric said in a harsh voice. I looked up taken aback by his tone, but his eyes were pleading with me.

"Yes, Master," I said, almost choking on the word before turning away.

"I see you were a bad girl and your master put you in your place," said one of the men sitting with Bill when I approached the table again. He seemed to have enjoyed that I had been "reprimanded," judging by the wide pleased smile he bore.

"What can I offer you folks to drink?" I asked, _again_.

"You," said the guy with the tattoos with a nasty smirk. I think he was rubbing himself under the table.

"She can't, can you honey? You already gave me some tonight," Pam said, coming to the rescue. She put her arm lovingly around my waist, and I felt the best thing to do was to… flirt. With Pam.

I gave her one of the smiles I had reserved for Eric and bit my lower lip. I wasn't sure what to do, but figured playing with her hair was the safest thing to do. I pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and ran my fingers down her neck a little bit. She returned my smile with a fangy one of her own. Oh, boy!

"Too bad," said the man. "A True Blood, then," he said, flicking his hand dismissively.

I'd noticed Bill had been staring at Pam and I the whole time. He knew me a little better, and I was afraid that we hadn't fooled him one little bit. Oh, well. There was nothing to be done for it at that particular time, so I just went about the business of tending to all my customers, including the creepies.

Eric's eyes were either on me or on Bill's table the rest of the night. He didn't move, didn't blink, probably didn't breathe or pretended to breathe. Only his eyes shifted, following my progress or watching the four vampires. They were being loud, boisterous.

Eventually all four vampires were joined by willing humans, and they all left together, and which point I breathed. It was almost closing time already, and I had been a tense mess the whole time.

I sagged on a chair in Eric's office. I was alone for a few minutes, so I leaned back and closed my eyes. I felt a soft breeze a couple of minutes later and found Pam standing over me with a strange look on her face.

"Are you ill?" she asked.

"No, Pam. Just tired and those friends of Bill were giving me the creeps."

She moved to sit at Eric's chair, figures in hand to write checks. I suspected Ginger and Belinda were waiting outside.

"Yes, they're not usual. Don't worry, though. They live in Monroe, not with Bill," she said, but she was too tense for me not to worry. That was not typical Pam behavior. It got worse when she tried to force a smile, and I'd also noticed she hadn't said anything about our flirting. Pam never missed a chance to drive people nuts or poke fun, and I was ripe for the picking.

I didn't get a chance to ask her exactly what was making her nervous because Eric walked in. He put his hands on my shoulders and kneaded them softly. I felt his breath on my hair. "I'm sorry for being so cross with you earlier."

"What happens now?" I asked, because obviously both the vampires in that office were in some serious kind of distress.

To prove my point, they exchanged a charged glance. "You can stay with Pam or me tonight, and tomorrow we'll have your house made fit for a vampire to spend the day."

"It would be better if you tell me what you're thinking about those vampires before I make any decisions or you make them for me," I said, crossing my arms.

"Sookie," Eric said my name with a warning in his voice.

I showed him I could sound the same way. "Eric."

"I do not know yet. Bill seems like a spy, though I don't know for whom, and the others have taken too much of a liking to you," Eric said with a growl in his voice.

I gave in. When the people protecting you are stressed, you should take the threat seriously. "I'll go with whomever, but I have to go home during the day to take care of a few things." Including the baby cat that needed to eat breakfast in the morning.

"Come home with me, lover," Eric whispered in my ear.

I was annoyed at myself for wanting to say yes so willingly. "Okay, but I'm mad at you."

"I like it when you're mad," he kissed my hair.

"Get out of here and take your sappy selves home before I do something impossible, like throw up," Pam said rolling her eyes.

I followed Eric to a gated community in the suburbs of Shreveport. He spoke to the guard briefly, probably telling him to let me through right behind him. The community was full of McMansions, all of them the same, separated by vast expanses of land. We arrived at one nondescript house, much like the houses next to it, and I followed the Corvette into the driveway. Eric opened both garage doors, meaning for me to park next to him.

He came to get my door, and ducked into my car, putting a little box inside one of the overhead storage compartments. "Garage door opener for when you come visit me," he winked and stole a kiss before helping me out of the car.

"Nice house," I said, letting him tug me along. All these vampires and their hand holding… I was beginning to get self conscious of my hands, since they were never as soft as theirs.

"I'm glad you like it. Hopefully you like the inside as well," he answered, unlocking the door that led from the garage to the kitchen.

Everything in the kitchen was either white or stainless steel. White tiles on the floor and on the walls, white cabinets, off white countertop, and the appliances which were steel but reflected the whiteness. Everything was sparkling clean, and the only small appliance on the counter was a coffeemaker.

"Now, I happen to know you don't drink coffee," I said, pointing at the (stainless steel) machine sitting by its lonesome.

"It's for you. I figured eventually you'd visit my house, either as my employee or as my… mine. I believe I have everything you need for it. I also have food for you," he opened the fridge, which was above the freezer. There were only a couple of things, but they were things I had at my house. The sneak had memorized the contents of my fridge that night after the funeral. He'd even put everything where I had it stored in my own fridge (the True Blood on the top shelf next to the eggs).

I was surprised but touched. "That's sweet of you, Eric."

"Are you hungry now?" he asked.

"No, just really tired," and really concerned suddenly. Vampires didn't use the bathroom. Had Eric thought of stocking toilet paper? I could live one night without brushing my teeth, but I really needed toilet paper. It's a must.

"Then come, I'll show you my room."

"No, no. Show me your house first," I said. I knew he wanted to show it to me. It was such a simple thing and it would please him so much.

I quickly found out that the monotony of the kitchen was not repeated anywhere else. Eric liked jewel colors: sapphire blue, amethyst purple, ruby red, emerald green. He used them as accent colors. The brown leather couch in his living room had a red throw neatly folded on the back, and the coffee table held a blue glass bowl. The paintings on the walls had vivid colors. I paused at the giant built-in bookshelf, scanning the titles. Most of them were English, but some were other languages, and the collection was eclectic: best sellers, biographies, history, the classics, some paperbacks. I might have to start borrowing books from here too.

The den was comfortable, with the couch covered in a soft chenille fabric instead of leather. He had his entertainment center there, and it was huge, with towers full of DVD's or CD's, a humongous TV, and every other accouterment needed for a home theatre.

"I take back the part about going out to watch a movie. This is probably better," I said looking around me. The walls were painted a light brown, chocolate. He had the purples in here: purple cushions, and matching purple throws.

"You just want to have me all to yourself," he said, getting closer and putting his hands on my waist.

"That may have something to do with it, I'll admit it," I said, nodding seriously.

His answering smile was wide and beautiful, and made me catch my breath. He hugged me tight, then picked me up with hardly any effort on his part.

"I'll show you the rest of the house later. You're tired," he said as he walked us to the second level.

His bedroom was different from the downstairs of the house. He had a huge four poster bed, probably a king size, with white linens and whatdayaknow? He'd made the bed. The walls of the room were a soft gray. I noticed the room had been pitch dark before he'd turned on a light.

"Can you sleep here during the day?" I asked, looking around.

"Yes. It's light tight," he answered.

I thought he would set me down in his bedroom, but he kept walking through a set of double doors. That was the bathroom (and there _was_ toilet paper!). It was the size of my own bedroom and bathroom combined. He set my feet down on a thick rug in front of a family sized tub. It wasn't as large as the hot tub I'd seen at Home Depot, but it was large enough. Eric leaned past me and turned on the faucet.

He returned to me and unzipped my Elvira dress, planting soft kisses on the skin he revealed as he pulled the dress down. My heart was beating as fast as the night before, and I had a shred of brain cells left to wonder if the newness would ever wear off. Then I wished it wouldn't.

I helped with his clothes this time, going slow because my fingers were trembling. He let me take my time while he worked on the rest of my clothes. I was naked before he was. Standing in the bright bathroom light, with all my flaws exposed, I found myself shy again and turned away.

"Why do you turn Sookie? I was looking at you," he said and pulled me to him by my shoulders, hugging my waist and burying his face in my hair.

I couldn't answer him, so I shrugged. He wasn't having that. "You're so beautiful. Why do you do this to me? Why do you run away?"

I breathed deeply. He was right. I ran away, sort of. I turned around and closed my eyes, holding my hands at my side balled into tight fists. I probably looked like I was waiting for somebody to hit me. I heard him shuffle clothes in front of me and ventured to open one eye. There he was, naked again, beautiful and ready for me.

Eric stepped into the tub and pulled me to sit in front of him, using him as backrest. I could feel Mr. Happy against my back, but there was no helping that. He was excited to see me. Eric pulled my hair up into a bun and tied it around itself. He was really good with hair, I noticed. Then he pushed me forward a little bit so he could work out a knot at my back. I closed my eyes and thought happy things, mostly about what we'd done last night and what I was hoping to do tonight.

The water sloshed as Eric pulled me back against him. He lathered his hands with soap and began washing me, starting with my shoulders and making slow progress over my chest. He lingered over my breasts, as if they needed particular attention. I found that I calmed down considerably if I touched him too in some way. I caressed his legs, from his knees to the middle of his thighs and back. However concentrating on this soft motion didn't help me at all when Eric's clever fingers found my center. I gasped and leaned back against him, as he held me tight and worked out my tension in his own novel way.

I pushed against his hand while the motion sent little thrills from my center and out. I moaned loudly and couldn't stop. I was building up to another delicious explosion when Eric whispered in my ear, "come for me, Sookie," and I was undone. I trembled against him for a few minutes, reaching up and threading my fingers through his hair, while my other hand caressed the one that had given me such pleasure.

He dried me with a white fluffy towel, and then used the same one on himself, doing it at vampire speed. I watched agog. That vampire speed could save so much time!

We snuggled into the bed, and he found his place above me, kissing me softly, pressing against me in a soft rhythm. He reached between us to see if I was ready, and I was because his fingers glided easily inside me. He'd been right too: there was no discomfort this time, just the desire to have him inside me all the way as he stretched the way slowly, being careful.

"Eric?" I said his name as a question, and he looked at me with a question in his own eyes. I nodded, giving him permission to do with me what he would. I trusted him.

He knelt between my legs, throwing the covers off us and running his large hands from my breasts down to my hips, bringing them up to rest on his legs as I opened for him, momentarily forgetting what to expect. I felt the soft pressure at my entrance, so I pushed down, filling up with him.

He pulled out almost all the way only to thrust himself deeper inside me, each time grunting as he reached the deepest part. I held onto his arms, feeling his muscles ripple as he moved within me or moved me on him. It wasn't enough. I asked for him, holding up my arms, waiting for Eric to fill the empty space. Instead of coming down to me he pulled me up to him. Not only did my arms find his shoulders, my lips found his face and I made love to him that way.

"Sookie, look at me my lover," he whispered. I obeyed, getting lost in the darkness within the blue, losing control of my voice, breathing harder as the small thrills built up again within me.

At the last possible moment Eric ducked his head and sunk his fangs into my shoulder, sending me into a beautiful oblivion of satisfied need. I slowly came back into myself, only to hear the most satisfying sound in the world: my man, bellowing incoherently as he came inside me, as he took his pleasure from me.

**A/N: ***Evil laugh*


	11. The Ever Fixed Mark

**A/N:** Thank you all for your reviews. I noticed some new people too, and I wanted to welcome y'all to the inner workings of my semi-twisted mind. Here goes a shout out to everybody who's reading, favoriting, and alerting the story. I love y'all too.

Sooooo sorry. No lemons here. I almost wrote one in, but then remembered that Sookie was a virgin not too long ago. Eric can be patient. He has to take it easy with the poor girl.

**Chapter 11 – The Ever Fixed Mark**

Eric seemed pensive. He was lying on his back and I was draped over him, enjoying the sensation of his soft fingers running down my arm and his cool arm holding me tight against him. He wasn't humming like the night before; he was looking straight up at the ceiling.

"What are you thinking?" I asked, surprising myself. I don't think I had _ever_ asked that question of anybody.

Eric looked down with a frown. "I'm thinking we should exchange blood again, start taking steps to make the bond complete so I can keep you safe. Even the Queen has to respect a blood bond."

"Do you think Bill is a spy for the Queen of Louisiana?" I asked. For a sleepy person I wasn't half bad coming up with stuff.

"For her or somebody else. Either way I think it's better if you let me retrofit your house with a space for either Pam or me to stay during the day, so that there are no gaps in time when you are not safe." Eric's voice was deep and grave.

"Can I ask you something first? Before I say yes or no?"

"Of course, and this time I _will_ answer."

I gathered my courage. It was _the_ question in every girl's mind when they first started a relationship, and none of them ever asked. Believe me, I knew because I'd "heard" it over and over. But this was getting complicated and scary, and for me to make decisions, I needed to know. "What am I to you?"

"What are you to me?" he repeated the question. He hadn't expected it.

"Yes. Explain, please, because as far as I know vampires don't end up marrying humans, so I'm not sure what your intentions are, and I don't have a father that will ask them of you," I said, sitting up now and covering myself with a sheet.

Eric's eyes went wide, and then softened. He sat up too but didn't make an attempt to touch me. He just wanted to look me in the eye. "You are unlike any human I've ever met, Sookie. Or maybe that's not accurate." He was struggling with his thoughts. I could see it in his eyes. "You are very much like the women of my time, strong and honorable, but set within this time. You've read about us, you know what I mean."

I frowned then I hit my forehead with the palm of my hand. "You saw the Viking books."

"I saw the Viking books," he admitted. "See? You feel the same way about me."

"And what way is that, Eric?" I asked. Surely he wasn't going to say it. Right?

He said it. "You love me," his face told me he was stating the obvious.

Color me mad. "Eric, I don't think…"

"I love you too," Eric said and closed the gap between us, holding me tight.

I took a deep breath to calm myself down so we could have this conversation like adults instead of teenagers, and all I got was a big whiff of Viking in my nostrils… which did nothing, by the way, to help me clear my thoughts.

"Eric, please let me go so we can talk," I muttered from where my face was pressed to his chest.

"Tell me you don't love me," he said, not letting go at all.

"I can't do that," I said, being honest.

He let me go, but only to hold on to my shoulders. His face was open and full of wonder, and I felt it. I felt the pang within my own heart which told me that I felt stronger towards him than I'd been thinking. He could hurt me so easily now.

"Tell me you love me," he breathed out.

I looked down at my hands resting on my lap and swallowed hard. "I can't do that either," I said, feeling a lump form in my throat. I was lying and I knew it.

Rather than doing what I expected him to do (which was to get mad at my indecision) he smoothed my hair and let me sulk. "Can I say it then? Can I tell you that I love you until you believe it?"

"I don't think I'll ever believe it. How many others have you loved?" I asked, still looking down.

"One other and you know why I love her."

"You could have anybody," I mumbled, giving myself reasons why he couldn't possibly love me. Lil' ol' freaky me.

"I don't want anybody. I want you, from the first night I met you and you tried to keep me safe." He lifted my face. "Can you understand that I don't want anybody to take you away from me?"

I nodded a little. If I let myself believe his words, I could understand perfectly. More than that: if I was honest with myself I knew I felt the same way about him. I didn't want anybody to take him away from me. The thought of it was almost physically painful. How had that happened? When did I fall in love?

"You can do what you need to do to my house, Eric. I think I'll feel better anyway, until…" I stopped talking, because the rest of the sentence was _until I bond with you so no one can take me away_, and I just couldn't say it aloud, not yet.

"Alright, my lover. I will go make some phone calls. Can you be without me for a few minutes?" he asked, getting up. He wasn't going to waste any time at all now that I'd made up my mind.

"I think I can manage," I said.

I took the opportunity to use the bathroom. He'd even left a brand new toothbrush and toothpaste next to the sink. Alright, brownie points for the vampire who understood I had human needs. For all I knew he'd had Pam get everything and leave it here.

I stole Eric's undershirt, because I was feeling weird about walking around naked, and picked up the rest of our clothes from the bathroom floor. My dress, shoes and underwear I could leave on a slipper chair in the bedroom. I wasn't sure what to do with his clothes, so I put them in the hamper. He'd worn boxer shorts the past two nights, but inside the hamper I saw a pair of briefs. Interesting. I didn't know men switched back and forth like that.

I snuggled back under the soft sheets, and was about to fall asleep when I felt the bed indent behind me. Eric molded his body to mine, holding me tight and draping a leg over mine. I felt safe. This could be easy if I allowed myself to let go of the fear of pain. I threaded my fingers into his and brought his hand up to my lips, to kiss the palm.

"Did I wake you?" he asked, nuzzling my neck.

"I wasn't asleep yet," I mumbled because I had both our hands tucked under my chin.

"I wrote down the information for the people who are coming to your house tomorrow and I left it on the counter in the kitchen, next to your purse. There's also a set of keys to this house for you to keep."

I grabbed my phone to put on the alarm; otherwise I'd never get out of there. When that was taken care of I turned within his embrace, lying on my back with him draped over me. Eric pulled the covers and tucked them tighter around us, which was nice of him. He was cool but my body warmed his the longer we touched. I suspected that was why he liked to snuggle, and I was learning to like it too.

He started humming the song from the night before. I felt like the _Twilight_ girl, with my very own vampire singing me to sleep. "What song do you sing?"

"Something very old. I wasn't allowed to sing it in my time, but I think it's safe now."

I tried to remember what I had read about Vikings. "A song about a woman?"

"Yes," was all he said.

I closed my eyes and he continued humming.

When my alarm went off I couldn't move. Between the sheets tucked super vampire tight, and the super vampire himself still draped over me, I had a struggle ahead. Eventually I made it out. It was amazing how really, truly, dead Eric became during the day. I tucked the sheets around him again, and fixed his hair, giving him a kiss he'd never know about.

The upstairs had an extra door that could be locked, that led downstairs. I locked it and joined the world of the living. The house was bright downstairs, since the drawn curtains still let sunlight in. I made me some coffee and a quick omelet. I was starving, and wouldn't be able to make it all the way home without feeling like fainting. Besides, it would please Eric to see I'd eaten. Not that I was eating to please him.

I checked and locked every door I found that I thought ought to be locked, ending with the kitchen door that led to the garage. It felt odd to leave, and odder that the two cars in the garage seemed to belong there. Together.

Pam was right. I was turning into a sap.

At home my new kitty had made my bed, her bed. I found her all snuggled into a fuzzy blanket I had at the foot of my bed. I changed out of my Fangtasia dress and put something more normal to wait for the workmen who were supposed to arrive within the hour.

I checked my messages on the house phone and found one from Lafayette ("You better come visit soon, girlfriend. Don't make me come over there."), and one that Alcee Beck had left earlier that morning. I had to listen to it twice.

"Miss Stackhouse, this is Alcee Beck, detective for the Bon Temps Sheriff's Office," I rolled my eyes. We were a small town. I'd known who he was ever since he'd joined the force when I was ten years old and Gran had spoken about it with Mrs. F. He'd been the first black officer on the force. "I'm calling to tell you that Rene Lenier will be tried in November for several murders, as well as your attempted murder, and the assault on Mr. Northman. The district attorney also felt it was warranted to charge Rene with manslaughter for the death of your grandmother." My heart twisted and my vision blurred. I didn't want vengeance, but it looked like that was exactly what I was about to get. "The D.A. will call you to tell you when to report for your deposition."

Deposition? I was a witness. They would probably call Eric too.

Thinking about Eric made me think of vampires in general and one vampire in particular. I remembered to do something I should have done a long time ago. "I hereby rescind Bill Compton's invitation to my house," I said out loud. I hope it worked as easy as that.

Tina ate her breakfast then decided to play outside when I opened the door for the workers who arrived at ten. The foreman, Mr. Herveaux, walked through the house with me. He was definitely "other," but nice. He still had thick muscle from working for many years with his hands, and his salt and pepper hair was lush, making him look handsome, even though he must have been close to sixty.

"I believe this would be the best place, Miss Stackhouse," he said. He'd knelt and had peeked into the closet of my old bedroom. He'd done the same thing in my bedroom, but I had too many personal things in it to remove, namely shoes, things that I needed to use every day in other words. He'd checked the walls to find any hidden spaces, but found none. The upstairs wasn't feasible either. They would have had to gut it and start over, and Eric wanted this done today. So the spare bedroom downstairs it was.

I hate to see other people working and stay idle myself, so I worked while Mr. Herveaux's men worked. He'd brought his son, a mountain of a man, about as tall as Eric but thicker. He was also "other," and he was in charge of going back and forth from the men outside (who were not allowed to set foot inside my house), and his father who was measuring, fitting, hammering and so on. In the end, the only two people who knew of the new hideout were Mr. Herveaux and his son. By the time they were done, all my curtains were clean and the floors behind every piece of furniture had been vacuumed by me.

"I can't help but notice this is not your usual type of work, Mr. Herveaux," I said, pointing at his work truck. It said Herveaux & Son, Surveyors, not Carpenters.

"We make exceptions for Mr. Northman. He's a good customer," said Mr. Herveaux, giving me a handsome super white smile. I wondered if he bleached his teeth, but then noticed that his son's teeth were just as white. It must have been hereditary.

They all left well before sunset, which gave me a chance to take a shower and a nap before I had to get ready for work.

I woke up from my nap with my ringing cell phone. Eric.

"Hmmm," I managed to say, throwing myself back on the bed like a true drama queen. I'd never make a good vampire.

"I'm on my way to get you. Are you alright?" he asked, almost frantic.

"Eric, you woke me up, would you calm down? Is it even past sunset yet?" I asked, trying to look outside. It was dark, but not fully.

"There are advantages to being as old as I am. I'll be there in twenty minutes. Do not go outside. Did you rescind Compton's invitation?"

"Already done," _Boss_, I added mentally.

"Good. Get ready," and "click."

"Aaargh!" I yelled to no one at all, not even to Tina because she hadn't come back inside the house by the time I fell asleep. I wasn't stupid enough to open the door to go look for her before Eric got there. That's how the girls get killed in horror movies.

I got ready and put fresh food in Tina's bowl. Hopefully I'd be able to find her before we left for Fangtasia. If not, she'd be in a heap of trouble. I was making myself a sandwich when the doorbell rang. I ran to get it, since I was on the _other_ side of the house. I'd have to tell Eric to come through the back door. Oh, whatever. I'd just give him a key.

The mind behind the front door was a blank, but, lacking a peephole, I had to ask who it was anyway.

"It is me," Eric said in a very deep voice that made the door shake.

I opened the door. "Who is 'me'?" I smiled.

He had me in his arms in a blink, claiming my mouth and thrusting his tongue as deep as it would go, searching for mine. I relaxed against him, lacing my hands behind his neck.

I'd lost my breath, and was about to lose consciousness when he pulled away to let me breathe again. "My whole house smelled like you," he said, his fangs out, his eyes almost black.

"I'm sorry," I choked out, panting.

He chuckled, which actually looked bizarre, what with his fangs out. "I'm not. I loved it. The only part I did not enjoy was not having you beside me when I awoke."

"Well, I had to be here. Mr. Herveaux made your cubby hole, and it looks pretty good if you ask me, but you better check it out now before you use it," I said, taking his hand and leading him, for once.

I showed him the arrangement inside the closet of the spare bedroom. He got in the little space and held out a hand to me. I stepped in and lay beside him, finding the space was actually bigger than I thought.

"I have some spare blankets and pillows," I offered.

"You're good to me, Sookie. Now come, before Pam has our asses for being late." He got up and I followed.

"Can you help me find my cat? She went out to play earlier and hasn't returned," I said, about to grab my purse.

Eric blinked. "I didn't know you had a cat."

"She adopted me. I had Sam check her to make sure she was a real cat before I let her in the house," I said, anticipating that he would have asked.

"I'll help you. Sookie?" Eric stopped walking. I looked up waiting for the rest of his question. "What part of the house has Bill been in?"

I had to think about it briefly. "Only the living room. I doubt Gran ever showed him to the kitchen."

"That's what I thought," he said, sticking his nose up in the air and opening his mouth, like a cat scenting the air for bugs.

I followed his progress as he went upstairs, which was a little hotter than the rest of the house since it was closed off and the early October days were still warm.

"What is up here?" Eric asked.

"I use it for storage only."

"Why would Bill be up here?" he muttered to himself. He continued following his nose and stopped in front of a particular box.

"What kind of papers do you keep in here?" he asked. His keen sense of smell told him what was in the box, because the outside wasn't marked at all.

"I think those are photographs and newspapers from when Jason and I were little. I have my birth certificate elsewhere, but Jason's might be in there," I answered, as Eric opened the box.

The first few photographs were taken before my parents died. I must have been six, definitely past kindergarten.

"Bill went through these," Eric said.

I burst. "What the fucking hell? Why was he touching my stuff? God damn it!" I slammed my foot down and started pacing.

"Calm down Sookie. He didn't take anything and you can trust me that he won't be able to do it again. You were cute," Eric said, showing me a picture.

My face must have lost all color. My hands started feeling clammy and I thought I would throw up. Actually, yes, I was going to throw up, so I ran downstairs to the first bathroom and heaved into the toilet. There had been nothing in my stomach to throw up, so I knew I hadn't gotten sick from something I ate, but from something I saw.

Eric was holding my hair. I knew he was talking, but I couldn't make sense of the words yet. I felt as vulnerable as I'd been at six years old, when the photo was taken. I sagged on the floor with my head on Eric's lap. I didn't remember that picture, but I remembered the day as if it had been just five minutes ago. I'd tried to block it. All these years I knew what had happened but I'd never _felt_ it, like I just had looking at that photograph. Even seeing Uncle Bartlett, old and decrepit, hadn't brought back the memory.

"Sookie? Are you alright, my love? Can you tell me what's wrong?" I finally heard Eric.

Call me naïve, or maybe inordinately stupid, but I just don't think one should keep secrets from the people that love you. Particularly when they hold one's hair while one's trying to throw up.

"I remembered the day that picture was taken," I explained. "It was a shock to see the picture. I thought I had gotten rid of all those memories."

"Is that the day your parents died?" Eric asked in a soft voice.

"No. They died more than a year after that. That was the day I died," I said in a very small voice.

"Explain," his voice wasn't soft. It was confused. Eric didn't like to be confused.

"The man in the picture, Gran's brother, that was the day he first touched me," my voice was shaking along with my body.

"He touched you?" Eric couldn't understand. It wasn't jiving with his view of how things ought to be.

"Sexually," I choked out.

There was silence. His voice got hot. "He touched you! You were just a little girl!"

I nodded, feeling the tears stinging my eyes. I couldn't speak anymore. I tucked my legs against my body, to see if it would help with the shakes. Eric picked me up, just like that, and put me in my bed. He sat next to me, smoothing my hair, not knowing what to do for me.

"Tell me what to do, Sookie. How do I make it better?" he asked in a monotone, very Pam-ish. He was stressed.

"There's nothing to do," I took a deep breath, to see if it would help with the crying. It didn't. "It was a long time ago. I just have to put it away again."

I sat up and managed to go to the bathroom. Eric was about to follow but I gave him a pleading look to just let me be alone for a few minutes. I brushed my teeth, washed my face, reapplied all my makeup, checked that my dress was in order, and re-emerged looking mostly normal. My eyes were still a little red, but that would go away in a few more minutes.

"Let me grab my sandwich from the kitchen. Do you mind if I eat on our way to work?" I asked, leaving my bedroom.

"Sookie," he called from my bedroom, with that familiar warning in his voice.

I matched his tone. "Eric, you cannot make this better. I wish you could, but unless you have a degree in psychiatry that I don't know about, you're just gonna have to let it go." I breathed… "Or stop seeing me so you don't have to think about it."

I started to walk away again but he reached me at vampire speed, turning me around. He was mad, but was also trying to watch his strength. His hold on me was very gentle. "Are you out of your mind? What part of the fact that I love you has been lost on you? This isn't easy for me, Sookie, to tell you this. Do you think it doesn't hurt me when I feel you're rejecting me? I want to know what it will take to make you feel better, and all I need is an answer."

I hadn't blinked the whole time, my eyes getting wider by the second. I'd been behaving like a petulant teenager, pretending I didn't need any help. "Going to work will help me take my mind off things," I answered finally.

"Good. Then finish making your food and you can eat it on the way. But you're with me, so if you want to take your time you can do that too," he turned me around and guided me to the kitchen, where my half made sandwich was waiting for me.

I ate in my kitchen, digging in my junk drawer for an extra set of keys to the house. I handed them to Eric.

"Back door, front door," I said, pointing at a newer looking one for the back door, and an older one for the front door.

He took them and added them to his own set of keys. "The keys to Rapunzel's tower," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

On our way out the door, we found Tina sitting right in front of it, probably hungry. "Silly girl. It's past your curfew, young lady," I said and snuggled her, earning myself a loud purr. I set her back inside and locked the door. Eventually she'd learn it was more comfortable inside and she'd never want to go back out.

"Now you smell of cat," Eric said while he was making his way down my driveway.

"Oh, well. She's a baby and needs love," I shrugged not really giving a hoot.

"I didn't mean it in a bad way. They have a sort of musky scent. It's a cat scent."

We rode in silence for a little while. It wasn't awkward, since we were both lost in our own thoughts. I, however, didn't have to be lost within them. The answers I was seeking could be easily sought.

"Eric?"

"Yes?"

"If we do the blood bond, I'd be bound to you, right?" I asked, nervous.

"Yes, you would. I'd be bound to you too."

"Which means what, exactly?"

He turned to me briefly. I couldn't read his expression in the dim light of the road. "It means you'd feel me like I feel you. It means we would put each other above anyone and anything. In vampire circles you'd be considered my other half, someone worthy of as much respect as me. It would also mean that Queen Sophie-Anne would let you stay by my side instead of use you as she wishes. If ever she needed your services, she could not have you without me along to protect you."

"My services?" I repeated.

"Reading others minds. The Queen wants to use you in her dealings with humans. I can't allow it Sookie, even if I have to force you," his voice was getting hot again.

"You don't have to force me, that am why I'm asking questions," I said, keeping my cool. It had the intended effect of disarming him. When I'm good, I'm really good. Chalk it up to years of experience dealing with drunken people. Irate people were nothing compared to drunken fools.

Eric breathed deeply and nodded, calming down.

"Would we be married?" I asked.

"Yes and no. In the human world you wouldn't be Mrs. Northman, but in my world we'd be more than husband and wife. I've seen a few blood bonds during my existence, and they've been very powerful couples."

"What about when I grow old?" I asked. Eric would be forever thirty, forever beautiful.

"My blood would keep you young for many years, unless you decided to join me," he said gravely.

My breath caught. I didn't know how to feel about that. Immortality… how boring. "Let's just say for now that's a no," I said.

"I respect your decision, Sookie," he said no more about changing me. That's not what he wanted. He wanted me, the way I was.

The realization hit me like a sack of potatoes. Unfortunately we were approaching Fangtasia, and this conversation would have to wait.

Eric parked in his usual owner's spot, turned off the car, but didn't make any effort to get out. I turned to him, wondering what was up.

"I guess I'll put it to you in terms that belong in your world," he said, turning to look at me too, piercing through me with his glacial blues. "If I could marry you, I would, but human laws say we can't. I can offer you something better: all of me physically tied to you in a bond of love and respect. I can offer you protection from those who would use you. You may not believe that I love you, but I do, and if there's anything I can do to prove it to you beyond doubt, please tell me and I will do it."

He put his hand to my chest, over my heart and my heaving chest. I was having a hard time catching my breath. I didn't want him to have to prove anything to me. I wanted to feel the conviction in my gut.

"I ask one thing," I said.

"Name it."

"I want Pam to stay with me tonight, if she's willing."

"Done," he said, and kissed me.

TBC


	12. What's Simple is True

**A/N: **This one's a shorter chapter than the last two, but I wanted to put it out because it was so tough to write, for some reason. I threw in a "tender lemon" (I'm coining it) for y'all being so patient. Hopefully I'll get another chapter done during my time off for Christmas (crossing my fingers). But if I don't, I hope y'all have a very Merry Christmas! Happy Festivus! And all that good stuff. :-)

**Chapter 12 – What's Simple is True**

"I must say I'm confused. You once said you 'don't swing that way.' Have you changed your mind?" Pam asked. She was driving us back to Bon Temps in her Avalon sedan.

"No, Pam," I rolled my eyes, even though she wasn't looking at me. "There's a lot that I have to think about, and I need you. I need a sounding board, or at least someone with a few more years of life under her belt."

I saw Pam smile. It was fleeting, but it was there. "I'm honored, Sookie. We'll have a sleepover."

I snickered a little. "I'm not playing any sleepover games with you, Pam."

"Too bad. I've heard those are fun. I wanted to practice kissing with you."

Of course she would. "Sorry. Eric's spoiled me," I said, feeling very much like a teenager after saying such a thing. What was _wrong_ with me?

"If you like him so much, then why am I here?" Pam asked, with good reason. "Let's start with the obvious," she started answering her own question. "I'm not his child for nothing. He feels very strongly about you, won't stop talking about you, and frankly it's driving me nuts."

"Short drive," I muttered.

"I heard that. Moreover, I know that you feel strongly about him, so much so that you made him your first lover."

"Pam!"

"Tell me I'm lying."

I remained silent. Sometimes she reminded me a lot of Eric.

"I thought not," she said smugly. "Anyway, I also happen to know this is new. If you think feeling this way is something he does often, you're mistaken."

"I hate to point out even more obvious things, but why in the world would you two defy your queen for me?" I asked.

"You wanted to keep him safe," she shrugged.

I tried to process it. He'd said the same thing the night before. "Anybody would have done the same thing," I said slowly.

"Really? Are you sure?" Pam asked.

No, not anybody would have done the same thing. People were afraid of vampires, or else idolized them, or thought they were invincible… or simply didn't care whether one died or not. Vampires were like great white sharks that happened to live on the surface. Some humans cared about their fate, but most only saw the predator and were either in awe or fear. I must have been simple. I saw that the human being they once were hadn't been lost. So Bill's friends had probably been deranged humans, that was a given, but when I thought of them I always remembered Indira, who was so unbelievably beautiful and gentle. Like a momma shark.

"He hasn't eaten since he met you. Did you know that?" Pam said, cutting through the silence with her own quiet voice.

"What do you mean he hasn't eaten?" I asked shocked. He'd told me he had, I distinctly remembered.

"He only drinks True Blood and I guess now he's feeding from you. He won't touch any other." Pam was turning into my driveway.

I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. Eric sounded heartsick. Lovesick. He'd only known me for a few weeks. "Pam, how's that possible?"

"What? That a man fell head over heels in love with a woman? It happens all the time. For someone who can read minds, you don't know much, do you?" she shook her head.

We walked in silence towards my house. I was feeling dejected and a little foolish. Of course I'd seen people fall in love, and seen what it'd done to their minds. But usually they were evenly matched.

I showed Pam the cubby hole and gave her blankets and pillows to arrange as she saw fit.

"You really worry too much, Sookie. Do you really think I wake up during the day because my accommodations are uncomfortable?" she'd asked.

"I don't know, Pam! I've never been a vampire," I'd said, making Pam laugh.

Now we were sitting at my kitchen table. I was drinking chamomile tea with a hint of brown sugar, and Pam was nursing a True Blood.

"This is really not that great," she said, pointing at the bottle.

"Then why do you drink it?"

"So that I won't get hungry and want to eat you. Honestly, Sookie. Why do you drink chamomile? I don't remember that it tasted all that great."

I looked down at my cup. "You're absolutely right. That's why we put stuff in it."

"I can't put anything in the blood," she said looking down at her bottle. "Can I ask you something Sookie?"

"Sure," I said. By now I might as well tell her whatever she wanted to know.

"What happened today? Did you reject him? Is that why I'm here?" she asked, looking up directly at my face. She looked sad.

"No, of course not. What makes you say that?" I asked, taken aback. If anything I was trying to match my feelings for him, brain with heart.

"You know I can feel some of what he feels. I woke up and felt he was in a great amount of distress. The only thing I could think of was that you had rejected him." Pam was being logical. I hadn't known that my own freak attack had affected Eric so much, so much that his feelings transferred and his child felt it.

"It's a long story," I said, looking down ashamed. "Eric helped me with something. He must have felt bad for me. I don't want to talk about it, if that's okay. I'm finally feeling better."

"He didn't tell me anything, but his desire for vengeance is a living thing within him. It's making me wonder what I'm missing," she said, her fangs running out.

I gasped. "Pam!" I grabbed my cell phone and called him. He didn't answer. "God damn it! Answer!" I yelled at the phone.

Pam called from her phone, and he didn't answer her either. He answered the second phone call from my phone. "Yes?"

"Eric, quit it. Whatever you're doing or about to do, come home," I said immediately. I feared he'd gone to look for my great uncle.

"Sookie, I'm not doing anything at all. I'm still at Fangtasia. I'm thinking of many things, however. Perhaps Pam picked up on that."

"Please, Eric. I don't want to think about this ever again," I felt teary eyed again and put my head down on the table. I missed my Gran more than ever right about then. She was the one that had made all the humiliation stop.

I felt Pam's cool fingers take the phone from my hand. "Whatever you're doing it's upsetting her," she reported, and paused to listen to what Eric was saying. "Well I didn't know and she won't tell me."

I stood up from the table to get a glass of water. As I stood at the sink, looking out over the backyard, I could have sworn I saw a ghostly pale face disappear behind a tree. Before I panicked I reached out with my brain. It took a lot of concentration to reach out that far, but sure enough: there was a big holey brain standing right behind the nearest tree to the house, about thirty feet away.

"Pam?" I turned around so nobody that was outside could see my fear. She was looking at me already done with her conversation with Eric. "There's somebody out in the woods, a vampire."

Pam was on the phone again, whispering something too fast for me to catch. She hung up in half a minute. "Let's go to the living room," she said.

We crossed the length of the house and sat down on the couch, with the lights off. "Were you able to get a good look at the face?" she asked.

"No, it moved too fast. Dark hair, pale face. It could have been Bill, but I couldn't tell you a hundred percent. Are we staying here?" I asked, practically jumping in my seat.

"If they wanted us to leave the house, they would have made us leave already. Eric is the sheriff. Let him see to this matter. He'll let me know if he needs help," she said as if this was just any ol' regular night in the backwoods of Bon Temps.

"What if that's what they're waiting for, to ambush the sheriff?" I asked, folding my fingers tight over my hands.

"You worry too much Sookie. No one would take one of the oldest vampires around, let alone the sheriff. Calm down. Hey… do you have anything that can be used as a stake?" she asked, getting excited.

"No, Pamela. I don't happen to own weapons that can be used to kill my friends, thank you very much."

"Don't you have a shotgun?"

"It's Jason's, and it's for hunting. He needs to come get it but he's not allowed in the house anymore."

"Too bad. He's cute, and I owe him a good bite for what he did to you," she said, her eyes turning dreamy with imagined bloodshed. "I'll tell you what: if things get out of hand I'll make a stake out of your broomstick and I promise to replace it."

Pam was gone and back before I had a chance to answer, with my broom in her hand. Between her Elvira dress and the broom, all she needed was a pointy hat and she'd made an excellent witch.

"Can you fly too?" I asked her. That would have been all kinds of funny.

"No, not all of us have gifts like that. I'm a great fighter, though, better than most. But that may have to do with my age and my maker." And she was modest about it too. Jeez!

Tina made her debut as we were sitting talking. She rubbed my leg then climbed onto my lap. I felt better instantly.

"There's a small furry thing on your legs. Is that a rat?" Pam said. I wasn't sure if she was saying it with disdain or if she was trying to be funny.

"This is the cat I told you about. Her name is Tina," I said, while Tina started climbing over my arm to play with my hair. "Come here little furry purry," I said, bringing her back to my lap.

"Do you call Eric by some term of endearment? Viking muffin? Honey bun? Schnookums? You know you have to tell me. You know that right?" she was super vampire serious.

"No I do not call him anything but by his name, and if I did I wouldn't tell you, you evil witch," I said, trying to stay serious, but I couldn't. Even the situation outside couldn't stop my sudden giggles. "He does have nice honey buns," I said and burst out laughing, scaring the cat.

Pam was smiling. "Those are nice, for sure, but his korv is better."

"Korv?" I asked. I was sure it was some kind of meat.

"It's sausage," Pam answered in a conspiratorial tone.

I made a mock gasp. "Pam! I can't believe you'd prefer sausage over baked goods."

"Actually I prefer neither," and she smiled. Evilly.

We sat in silence for a few minutes. The conversation had helped with my nerves, but not for long. My quirk was addled by nerves, and even though I was trying to cast a wide mental net, all I kept coming up with was Pam's brain next to me.

I looked up when I felt a breeze. Pam was at the door in a blink, opening it ever so slowly, peeking outside. I stood up too, getting ready for what? I didn't know. Pam threw the door open and broke the broom handle into three pieces as easy as a piece of spaghetti. My heart didn't start to race until I saw her face.

"Stay in here and kill anyone that steps close enough," she said in her usual monotone, throwing a piece of wood that I caught I don't know how.

Pam ran out the door in a flash, and I stood by it, trying to see anything. Whoever was out there was moving too fast for me to see. But I could hear: growls, snarls, the ripping of cloth and suddenly, very close to the porch, the sickening sound of tearing flesh and a keen wail.

I stepped onto the porch in a haze of adrenaline, knowing where I had to go and what I had to do and how fast I had to do it. I scanned around the porch quickly, found who I was looking for, and ran faster than plain human, handing Eric the piece of wood. He sunk it into the female he had pinned to the ground, and she began crumbling immediately. He ran off to the east in a blur killing one of two vampires who had engaged Pam. Pam took care of the third and it was over.

All of it had lasted no more a few minutes.

Eric bent to check each corpse. I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was okay. He was moving, staggering a little, but walking. I forced myself to look for Pam, and she was okay too, walking beside him. Together with the end of the short battle came the loss of the adrenaline high, the shakes, and the revelation I'd been waiting for.

I ran to Eric, throwing myself at him not caring he was covered in dirt and blood. He caught me and held me tight, but when I tightened my grip he hissed a little.

"You're hurt," I said, letting go immediately. I searched his body. His T-shirt was ripped around his abdomen, and that's where the blood was spreading. I stopped in my tracks, needing to look at the damage. He let me lift his shirt gingerly. The wound looked like Wolverine had caught him with his claws, three wide slashes spilling gobs of thick blood, exposing muscle and… was that bone?

"Oh, my God!" I felt the ghost of the pain within me. Could pain transfer? We weren't bonded yet, this was something else. "What do we do?" I turned to Pam because Eric was looking worse by the second.

"Let's get him inside," she said, and before I knew it she was carrying him as if he weighed no more than a toddler. It looked awkward because she was so much smaller. "The wounds will close but he needs to rest."

I told her to put him in the bedroom, and damn the sheets. That's why God invented bleach. She was gone and back in a flash, with the rest of the True Bloods I had in my fridge. Eric's eyes were closed and I tried to keep my wits, thinking faster than ever.

"Will that heal him quicker than my blood?" I asked Pam, pointing at one of the bottles.

"No," she said succinctly.

I nodded curtly and got close to Eric. His fangs were retracted and he wasn't moving. I didn't need a lesson from Pam to know what to do. I put my wrist right in front of his nose, and his fangs ran out slowly.

"Sookie, he might take too much," Pam warned.

"Then don't let him," I said in the clipped tone I always had when I was stressed.

Eric didn't make any attempt to move, so I put my wrist under his fangs and pushed up with all my strength. It hurt like a motherfucker, but I'd accomplished my goal. He smelled the fresh blood and began drinking automatically. Without thinking too much about it and before I could change my mind, I bent the other way and licked the seeping wound. His blood tasted the way I remembered, sweet and salty.

The purpose was twofold and I accomplished it. First, as he took my blood I regained strength by taking his. Second, I felt what he felt. There was a strange feeling of euphoria, which I quickly associated with what he felt when he took my blood. When fear crept up within him, I knew it was time to withdraw my wrist.

Pam helped me take my wrist away from the tight grip his mouth had on it, and she licked the wounds to help me heal, since Eric couldn't do it. Eric opened his eyes slowly. It was time for True Blood.

"I will leave you two now," Pam said quietly. She'd probably noticed just like me that Eric was aroused. I wondered why blood drinking was tied to sex, and then remembered what Pam had said about Eric not eating. He would have had sex with his donors. I processed this thought slowly, trying to internalize it, to understand the true meaning of her words.

"Did I hurt you?" was the first thing Eric said, as I felt his hand on my knee. I'd been sitting next to him on the bed.

"No. I knew when to make you stop and Pam helped," I said. Eric's blood in my system was having some interesting effects. I could see him perfectly well in the dim light of the bedside lamp. I could hear Tina following Pam around, and I could hear Pam walking to the first bathroom. Vampires are super stealthy, so it was a big deal that I could hear her. I could still feel some of Eric's own feelings. They were a slow revolving door of love and lust, fear and apprehension, confusion. He couldn't settle on one thing.

Eric touched his side and winced a little. "That bitch got me with her nails. She was stronger than I thought." He looked down at himself, ripping the shirt off him. The gashes were healing to red puckered scars. He sat up with a little help from me, and I propped some pillows behind him. I handed him a True Blood and he finished it in a couple of gulps.

"Do you need another?" I asked, already reaching for a second bottle.

"No, Sookie, come here," he said. I knew where he wanted me. I pulled my skirt up a little and knelt astride him. I think I was still in shock from seeing him so hurt, plus everything else that had happened that night, and the waterworks started.

I couldn't help it, I cried. I was supposed to be offering him comfort, and here I was basically begging for his. He licked the tears off my face, kissing my eyelids, kissing my lips softly. I kissed him back, so glad for him to be there, in my bed, safe.

I breathed him in, the familiar scent I was beginning to recognize filling me like nothing else could. Except one thing. "Eric," I breathed out. I didn't need to say anything else. In a frenzy my dress was off, probably ripped to shreds, along with my panties. I reached between us, pulling down his zipper and reaching in, pulling him out, guiding him inside me and gasping as the need within me was fulfilled in the most impulsive way.

I kissed his face, smoothed his hair, caressed his back and shoulders, while his hands held me tight, tighter, not letting me go. I held his face so that _he_ would look at _me_, and his gaze kept me whole, helped me heal.

"I love you. I love you, Sookie," he breathed. I touched his lips with my fingertips, following the slight rise, the soft dip. My hand found its way to his neck, the soft skin of his throat. I ducked and kissed him there. His skin was cool like marble, but soft over hard muscle. A wonder. It cooled my own overheated skin.

I hugged him hard, moving faster over him, seeking release. It built up quickly and I cried out as I exploded within his arms, driving him to his own completion. Eric held me still as he pumped the last few times, grunting and whimpering. I sagged against his chest, with him still inside me.

I decided to tell him the secret that was eating me alive. I'd saved him from a slow and painful recovery. My feelings were as obvious as the night is dark, yet he needed to hear it aloud. I turned my head to whisper in his ear.

"Eric, I love you too."

TBC


	13. Silver and Gold

**A/N: MERRY CHRISTMAS!**

Airing of grievances: I got out of work early on the 23rd for the Christmas Holiday. I reasoned with my boss because traffic was going to be a nightmare going home, so he let me go at 1:30pm-ish. Awesome, right? Yeah… no. Traffic was bad even that early. I live in the DC area, just to give y'all an idea. Stupid Beltway. On the bright side, I still got home earlier than usual, so I started working on this right away. I had a lot of time to think inside the car… :-)

**Chapter 13 – Silver and Gold**

"Did you get to speak to Pam?" Eric's quiet voice resonated through my body. I was completely draped over him, like he was part of my mattress, with my head tucked under his chin.

"I did, but not about everything. Too many things happened. How's your wound?" I asked, running my hand between us down his stomach, and shifting a little to the side trying to touch the scars I remembered.

Eric held me tight against him, not letting me move any more than I already had. "I'm perfect, like nothing ever happened. Is there anything you want to ask me? Maybe I can answer some of the questions you had for Pam?"

Lying the way I was, without really looking at him, gave me a little bit more courage than if we were sitting side by side. "You once said you didn't wish to put me through what I went through with Long Shadow that night again. But you didn't really say that you _wouldn't_ put me through it. Once we're bonded, can you make me do things?"

"No, I can't," was his immediate answer. "You wouldn't be at my beck and call any more than I would be at yours." He took a deep unnecessary breath, lifting me up with his chest. "I guess I'm not doing this right," his arms tightened around me. "I love you Sookie. I'm in love with you and I want to keep you safe from whatever else is coming. Those three vampires outside your house tonight were not there by mistake. Somebody sent them to test how well we were protecting you at home. I don't know who sent them, but I doubt it was Queen Sophie-Anne. Bill wasn't with them, but they were Bill's friends, the ones that came to the bar. They probably came to see you that night, to see how well we were protecting you at the bar. I know Bill has ties with people in Washington State, and with the King of Mississippi. Bill owes me fealty but he's proving to be fickle."

"How would people in Washington and Mississippi know about me?" I asked. My brain was sure getting a workout tonight, and dawn was only an hour away.

"Several ways. The Queen might have boasted about having her very own telepath, but that is highly doubtful. I would think your cousin told more people about you than just the Queen. She's the most likely source."

"But something _is_ coming," I said, just to make sure. I was sleep addled.

"Dear one, something _did_ come. But I can understand that making the decision to tie your life to mine is not something you can make while you're scared. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of time. Just know this: I've already made my decision. I'm yours." Eric kissed my hair.

His feelings were mute to me again, so I'd lost the only way I had to verify his words. Plus something else was bothering me. "Eric? Why didn't you answer your phone right away tonight? Were you really at Fangtasia?"

He was silent for a long moment. "No, I wasn't. I found the house of that man and I was devising ways to… dispose of him. You've asked me not to, so I will not harm him."

It was time to come clean with _somebody_. Eric would be the only one who knew the whole story. Not even Jason could say that. "Gran was the only one who understood, the one who got the truth out of me. I didn't want to talk about it. By the time she found out about me, she realized he'd been abusing Hadley too. She almost killed him herself," I took a deep breath trying to calm down. I'd noticed my voice had gotten higher in pitch. Eric was trying to soothe me by running his hands up and down my back. "I could see everything he was about to do to me, everything he planned later. Sometimes I caught his thoughts about Hadley." I stopped talking, cringing against the alien memory, alien because it wasn't mine. "My faith tells me that he will spend the rest of eternity in a very dark and lonely place, and that there will be no redemption. There's no need for you to avenge me, Eric. I don't want that on your soul."

"Do you believe I have one?" Eric asked in his soft deep voice.

"You say you love me and your heart doesn't beat. That proves to me that the heart is just an organ and that there's something else," I said, sounding simple but I didn't care. That was the way I understood things.

"Thank you, Sookie. You're too good to me."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sookie, I haven't seen you in a couple of weeks," said Mrs. Fortenberry, giving me a hug and transferring several curious thoughts about the company I was keeping.

I'd made a superhuman effort and gotten up in time to make it to church. The strange part was that even though I felt like I was about to keel over and fall asleep, I looked better than ever. Eric's blood in me had made my hair shinier, my eyes brighter, my cheeks flush, my lips plump. I briefly wondered if that was why he liked to give me his blood. I became Sookie in HD.

Now service was over and we were milling around outside of church. This was standard for anyone who didn't have to be home right away to cook Sunday lunch. Since I was planning on getting back in bed when I got home, I could be nice to Gran's friends who all seemed to want to talk to me. Mrs. F. had gotten me aside because she was particularly curious about my personal life. Not that I blamed her. I'd be curious too.

"Are you dating anybody?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant, but her curiosity was screaming at me from her brain. My shields were failing due to lack of sleep.

"Yes, I'm dating someone from Shreveport," I said giving away just enough. _Yes I'm dating, no you don't know him._

"What's his name? Maybe I know him," she pressed.

I knew she wouldn't, but I answered anyway. "Eric Northman."

Big mistake on my part: Hoyt had been within earshot of our conversation and he gave me a surprised look. But, God bless him, he didn't say anything in front of his grandmother. Hopefully he wouldn't say anything to anybody else either, but I doubted he wouldn't say anything to Jason. Actually I could have shouted it from the rooftops as long as Jason didn't find out. I wanted to tell him on my own terms.

"He seems to be treating you well. You look beautiful Sookie," Mrs. F. said, and I saw her eyes roam over my hair.

"Yes, he's very sweet," I said, and I knew I was beaming.

I went home after a few more pleasantries. I changed the stained sheets from my bed and left them soaking in cold water, made sure the clothes that Pam had left for Eric were in the spare bedroom where he could find them, washed my face of the little bit of makeup I'd put on, and snuggled right back in bed wearing one of my soft old nightgowns, one with a frog on it. It was almost noon, so I had a good six hours before having to wake up again. I darkened my room as much as I could and closed my eyes. I thought about all the prayers I'd said at church instead of listening (listening in a general sense, to the Word _and_ to the minds around me). I'd prayed for Gran, of course, and for Dawn and Maudette who died too young and had been good people. I prayed for protection from those who could be my enemies, and for the protection of my friends and especially that of Eric. I couldn't stand to see him hurt again.

Eventually I fell asleep and slept like the dead… or more like Eric who was inside his cubby hole in the other room. Knowing that he was so close, even during the daytime, actually made me feel better. It was comforting. I actually had wishful-thinking dreams starring a certain Viking, which was a pleasant surprise. It certainly beat the dreams I thought I was going to have.

I was woken up in a way I'd never expected. I'd been sleeping in a fetal position on my left side, my favorite side, and found that Eric had molded himself to me. He was moving his hips, poking me in the back with Mr. Happy, who was very, _very_ happy. Eric's left arm was under me, reaching across to touch my right breast through the thin fabric of my old nightgown, and his right hand was pulling down my panties trying to reach my center. He'd buried his face in my hair, taking deep breaths and exhaling his own sweet breath saturating the strands with his scent.

"I'm going to make love to you Sookie," he warned me; his voice was almost a growl. I turned a bit so I could open my legs for him. "That explains it. You're absolutely ready for me, my lover. You must have been dreaming about me. I kept feeling your lust even in my dreams," he said and claimed my mouth when I turned to him. I moaned when his tongue and his fingers invaded me at the same time, one above, two below.

He turned me back the way I had been, searching and finding my opening, gliding inside me with hardly any resistance. I moaned again, reaching up and behind me to thread my fingers through his hair, to touch him. He took my hand and guided it down, to touch him as he entered me and touch myself at the same time. He held my leg up, gaining deeper access, making me arch against him. I lost control of my vocal chords and filled the room with cries that were timed with every one of his thrusts. I was so close, _so close_. Eric growled close to my ear, a low savage thing, sinking his fangs into my neck and I was gone, catapulted off the Earth into some kind of twilight galaxy where everything was purple and euphoric.

When I came back into myself I was lying on my back, still panting and crying out, with Eric planting soft kisses everywhere, shushing me a little. "I got you, my lover. I got you," he said, his voice more seductive than usual, which I didn't know was possible.

"Oh, my God in Heaven! What just happened?" I managed to say, or mumble, rather.

"Your one and true lover gave you an amazing orgasm," he answered chuckling beside me.

"Yes, you did." Hey! Credit to who credit's due. "I didn't know. I didn't know," was I crying? Oh, my God! What was _wrong_ with me?

"What is that, Sookie?" he asked, getting closer so he could lick my tears. He really liked to do that. I suspected they tasted a little of my blood.

"That we could do that, that it was possible. Is it really bad if I tell you that I love you now? 'Cause I don't want you to think it was the sex, but it has a little to do with it," I was blabbing, probably still lost in outer space.

Eric chuckled again and kissed me some more before answering. "Sex is called making love when it's between two people who love each other, and often it's very deep and passionate because there's so much trust."

_Smart old man_, I thought to myself.

He made a "tsk" sound, eyeing my neck. "I went and bit your neck," he almost sounded Southern. "You can't let me do that. Nobody needs to know where I bite you," he said, and his fangs ran out. He pricked his thumb on one of them (making me jump as I remembered the pain on my own wrist when I'd done that) and he smeared the blood on the bite.

"I wasn't thinking very clearly when you did that," I muttered.

He kissed the area and licked it clean. "Good as new. Shall we get ready for work?"

I sighed and nodded, getting up slowly. I'd just noticed I was HUNGRY. Even Eric made a shocked face when my stomach made an angry growl. It could have rivaled one of Eric's growls.

"I must be a bad mate if your stomach is that noisy," Eric said wide eyed.

"I haven't eaten all day. It's my fault. I'll eat something before we leave," I said, waving my hands like being hungry was nothing.

"Go take a shower and I'll make you something to eat," he offered.

My eyes went wide. "When was the last time you cooked?" He started thinking about it before I interrupted his thoughts. "No, Eric. Thank you for the offer, but it won't take me any time at all to make something."

"You feed me. Why can't I feed you?" he tried to reason deepening his voice, pretending he was making sense.

"Because I don't do anything to feed you other than look tasty," I smiled.

He smiled back, his fangs running out. I jumped and tried to run away, giggling the whole time. He caught me, like I knew he would. He was laughing too and nuzzling my neck. This was why I loved him, because we laughed together. This was the cake. The rest was just frosting… and sprinkles.

We managed to make it to Fangtasia in record time, even though we took a shower together and he couldn't keep his hands off me while I tried to get dressed. I had to promise and swear that _later_ we'd be together for the rest of the night. He even talked me into staying the night and day at his house. I made sure Tina had tons of dry food and a huge bowl of water. She'd be okay for a day without me… or rip my curtains to shreds. We'd see.

Eric got more and more serious as we approached his bar. He was putting his Sheriff face on, I recognized it now. He was going to deal with the attack outside my house and start the inquiries. In the car he said he didn't want to take it too far yet because he didn't want to get the Queen involved. In the meantime, Bill was in trouble for sure. I didn't even want to think about what they could or would do to him… "they" being Chow and Pam. Chow had learned to be sneaky and conniving in getting information when he was part of the Japanese mafia. Pam was just a very creative evil bitch.

It was a typical Sunday at Fangtasia, not too crowded, but busy. I kept out of trouble and did my job, the usual. We were about to close and Eric pulled me aside, getting Ginger to finish cleaning my area (there wasn't much left other than carry a tray to the back).

"Bill wants to talk to you. He won't tell us anything until he talks to you," Eric was stressed and wasn't even looking at me when he spoke. He ran his hands through his hair and finally fixed me with his dark gaze. "You don't have to. We'll make him talk some other way."

I thought about it. "This is easier," I said, and started walking to Eric's office.

Bill was sitting on one of the chairs in front of Eric's desk, bound by a thin flimsy chain. I realized it was silver. He looked very subdued, though his fangs had run out. I stood in front of him, adopting a pose worthy of Pam.

With my arms crossed over my chest, I stood up stick straight. "I am here," I said. I looked like Pam and sounded like Eric.

Bill looked up, taking in my posture and smiling a little. At that moment I wished more than ever that I could flash some fang, but I remained impassive. He moved forward a little bit, but seemed unable to move beyond that. "Did he tell you he was sent to get you for his Queen?" Bill asked.

I arched an eyebrow. "Who are you working for, Bill?" I asked. He probably wouldn't tell me anyway.

"The Queen of Louisiana is my employer, but my job is not to come get you like they're implying," Bill pointed at the three vampires in the room with his eyes.

"What were your friends doing at my house last night?" I pressed.

He gave me an innocent look. "They were only acquaintances. The last time I saw them was in Arkansas."

Eric and Pam were directly within my path of vision, and I saw them exchange a very quick glance. Bill was telling me things he hadn't told them, things that had meaning for them.

"What were you looking for inside my house?" I asked. The fact that he'd been searching my house _really_ pissed me off.

"I was curious to see what kind of supernatural being you were," he answered, again with the innocent look.

"And?"

"And nothing. I don't know. What _are_ you?" he asked, wincing when he tried to move forward within his chair. The silver wasn't touching his skin, but it must have been uncomfortable.

I was done. My ire erupted, worthy of a vampire. "First of all, Bill Compton, how would _you_ like it if I were looking through your house during the day? Huh? I have half a mind to find your hiding place, find you while you're dead and kill you for real. Second, what business is it of yours if I am a supe, or what kind? I'm a banshee and I'll bring your death!" I screamed, and stormed away, slamming the door of the office. I admit it wasn't my most grown-up moment.

"More like a valkyrie," Eric's voice came from behind me. I'd been pacing in the hall in front of his office.

I stopped when I felt his hands on my waist. "That didn't help at all, I'm sorry," I said, considerably calmer but not quite _there_.

"He spoke more to you than to us. Bill wanted you to lose trust in me, not knowing that I already told you everything. Let me finish with him and we can go home," Eric said and kissed the back of my head.

"Yeah, okay," I said a little dismissively. I was still mad and Eric's attentions, though not unwelcomed, were not exactly what I wanted. I wanted to hit something. I was definitely more like my brother than I cared to admit, not that I was about to follow through on my desire.

I needed a drink.

Eric found me behind the bar with a Cape Cod in my hand. The vodka was the first thing I'd found. He raised an eyebrow, knowing I wasn't much of a drinker.

"It's either this or hit Bill while he's chained with silver," I said, making the ice clink in my glass.

"I'm beginning to think you're too good to vampires in general," he said, sitting on one of the stools right in front of me. "We can't do much to him. He really is working for Queen Sophie-Anne."

"How do you know? He could have said anything."

"I have ways of finding out," Eric said looking at me through half-lidded eyes. He looked predatory when he did that. Or else really sexy. The small thrill that ran through my body at that particular moment told me I was leaning towards sexy.

I took a deep swig of my drink and was already feeling it in my legs. I was really bad at holding my alcohol. "Spies?" I asked, imagining Daniel Craig with fangs.

Eric didn't say anything. He didn't have to. I was getting good at reading between the lines. I nodded and finished my drink quickly. The room started spinning and my lips felt a little numb. It wouldn't last very long, but it would be fun while it lasted. I felt like anything Eric said next would be hilariously funny. He seemed to read my mood.

"Oktoberfest tomorrow?" he asked.

And I was off. I almost fell on the floor laughing. He had to carry me out over his shoulder, my hair almost down to his thighs. When we passed by his office Pam gave me a strange look. I knew she wanted to join in. I just knew it.

"Lederhosen!" I yelled, pointing at Eric's butt and patting it with both hands. I couldn't breathe, but I couldn't stop.

"Is she drunk?" Pam asked. I could hear her chuckling, but I wasn't looking at her because my eyes were trained at how Eric's ridiculously gorgeous gluteus maximus moved when he walked.

"Not really. She only had one drink," Eric answered and patted _my_ butt.

"Honey buns," I whispered. Pam heard and started laughing in earnest, which made me laugh harder.

"Stop making her laugh," Eric said in a droll tone. He didn't really mean it.

"She started it," Pam whined.

"He started it," I called out to Pam. We were almost outside.

We rode home, but not in silence. I kept singing along to whatever songs were playing on the radio. If I ever doubted Eric loved me, I could stop doubting now. I can't hold a tune in a bucket with a lid on it. He didn't stop me, just kept looking at me with either a half a smile or a pained expression. Too late I remembered his super sensitive hearing. By then I was coming down my buzz and we were almost to his house.

"I'm sorry," I said, feeling foolish. I did that a lot around vampires.

He turned to me, surprised. "About what? Being a bad singer?"

I snickered. "Yeah, that too. It's just… I've been feeling a little helpless and to see Bill more helpless than me… I _really_ wanted to hit him for searching my house and bringing his friends to me. That's not like me," I made a motion with my hands that emphasized how _not_ like me hitting people was.

"I know. Come on, let's go inside." Eric unfolded himself out of the Corvette and came to get my door, even though I'd gotten it already. He did bring my overnight bag inside.

The minute he locked the door to the garage he was on me like white on rice, unzipping my dress trying not to rip _another_ one. I was going to let him. He wanted to ravage me in the kitchen and I had barely any qualms about it (other than the prospect of cold tile on my back, I was all for it). But he stopped when the dress was only half off me.

"No, not here," he mumbled, his fangs out. I almost stomped my feet in frustration, but then realized he wasn't finished. He just didn't want to do it in the kitchen.

I followed him to the master bedroom upstairs. He finished taking off my clothes in a flurry of movement. A second pair of panties bit the dust. They paid the ultimate price for being in the way of a horny vampire who couldn't wait the two seconds it would take me to slip out of them like a normal person.

Eric made me sit on the high bed and backed away from me a couple of paces. "Eric, what are you doing?" I asked, beginning to stand up again.

He made a motion telling me to sit back down. "Watch me," he ordered.

Okey-dokey. I watched as he took off his Fangtasia T-shirt, his muscles rippling as he moved. By then I knew I was dripping on the sheets, and he wasn't even naked yet. How could I not? The most amazing Norse god decided to strip tease me, and I happened to know what was coming. I whimpered a little when his fingers started undoing his belt, and then I gasped when I remembered that Pam had left a change of clothes for him, but no underwear.

"You don't have any underwear on. You've been like that all night," I almost accused him, even before he took off his pants. I was glad I hadn't realized it earlier. That would have been a disaster.

"I am guilty, my lover," he said, smiling seductively.

Two could play that game. "Turn a little," I ordered him, making a swirling motion with my index finger. He turned just enough so that when he took off his pants I had an excellent view of his splendid honey buns and Mr. Happy saluting, as he liked to do. I needed a new name for Mr. Happy.

The heat built inside me and I was about to hyperventilate when he approached me, scaring me. Mr. Happy was very close to my lips, and I had an idea what to do, but not a good one.

Like the very first night I saw Eric naked, I ran my fingers over him tentatively. I'd touched him earlier, but this was different. He wanted me to do something more.

"Kiss me Sookie. I'm yours," he said, reminding me of his words. There was nothing to fear. He was mine, as much my lover as I was his.

I kissed the head then licked the tiny droplet of fluid that had formed on the tip. It was sweet and salty, like his blood. I kissed my way down the shaft, touching other parts of him, exploring. He seemed to enjoy even the little bit that I was doing, judging by his soft grunts and his hands lovingly caressing my hair.

"Lick me," he ordered, and he didn't have to tell me twice. I was encouraged by the way he shuddered as I licked my way up back to the head. Who knew that I had as much power over him as he did over me?

He didn't need to tell me what to do next. I put him in my mouth as far as he would go, which wasn't nearly half of him. I clamped down with my lips, trying to keep my teeth from scraping him. He made a hissing sound as I began moving. It was harder than I thought. My lips started hurting after about two minutes.

Eric felt me flag and drew himself out of my mouth, kneeling in front of me and pushing me back onto the bed. I propped myself up on my elbows and watched as he returned the favor. He definitely had more stamina than me and was unrelenting. He didn't stop his assault until he'd made me come twice under his mouth.

He licked his lips as he rearranged me on the bed. Eric flipped me over like a pancake and brought me up to my knees and hands. "Give yourself to me, Sookie," he said right after I felt the soft pressure at my entrance. I came down to my elbows and he pushed in, holding my hips steady, lest I be catapulted off the bed.

I couldn't be any hotter because it wasn't the middle of summer, and he was too far away to cool me. As if reading my thoughts, he bent over me, squeezing my left breast while his free hand had gone in search of my little nub, found it, and began stroking around it, driving me wild with the intensity of it all. He pushed harder, faster, I knew he was about to come and the thought, the knowledge, pushed me over the edge, clenching around him. He gave a mighty battle cry as he spilled inside me.

"It hasn't escaped my notice that we're very noisy people when we make love," I said while we laid tangled in each other.

"It's your fault," he rubbed the length of his body against mine, like a giant cat. He rubbed his face between my breasts. "You smell so good, and you're so warm, so soft, so… _tight_."

"Eric! That's not nice to say," I said, smacking him very lightly on his arm.

"It's true, Sookie. I mean that in the best way. You honored me by letting me be your first lover."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I didn't say anything. I'd just been happy I couldn't hear his thoughts and he had been so attentive. He'd won me over.

"Sookie?"

"Hmm?"

"Tomorrow we're going out on a special date," he announced. I didn't say anything, mostly because I'd half fallen asleep. "Are you mad?"

"No, I'm not mad. 'S okay. How special? Do I have to dress up?" I asked, since I hadn't brought anything to dress up with. I might have to go shopping during the day.

"All that is taken care of." I knew what that meant. Somebody (probably Pam) had gone out and gotten me something to wear for this special date. Probably something too expensive.

"Okay. I'll be mad later. I'm too sleepy now," I mumbled, and tightened my hold on him.

I woke up the next morning because my bladder was kicking my spleen. After using the toilet and as I washed my hands, I glanced up at my reflection, only to find I was now the proud owner of a pair of tear-shaped ruby earrings, each about half an inch in size, set in gleaming yellow gold.

That was just not going to work.

TBC


	14. Sweet Sacrifice

**A/N:** This is a monster of a chapter. I love it when I have time off and nobody bugs me.

I heard y'all: why can't these women accept gifts? It drives me nuts… Bella Swan too (for those of you who read Twilight). It makes your guy feel good to get you something. I've found it's in most people's nature to be giving, _without asking for anything in return_. My Pam already yelled at Sookie for being a pain in the ass about gifts. That's why I threw it in here. Sookie needs to work through it.

One more, one more: Sookie called them tear-shaped earrings, then I went looking and found pear-shaped (same difference) ruby earrings… for SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS! So, let's pretend, for my own sanity's sake, that Eric did not spend a small fortune on these, and that he knows several jewelers who could give him a hefty discount.

**Chapter 14 – Sweet Sacrifice**

I was too mad to go back to bed, which had been my intention until I saw the earrings. I removed them and left them on top of Eric's tall dresser. I liked to think that I would have accepted the gift graciously if he had given them to me the regular way, instead of putting them on me while I couldn't accept or decline them. I knew myself, though. I would have made a stink about such an extravagant gift. Maybe Eric knew that about me too.

I explored the house while sipping coffee. Everything looked so different in the daylight. I examined his collections more closely, starting with his books. It was intimidating. Some of the editions were from the turn of the century, and I wasn't sure if he'd kept them that long, or if he'd purchased them as collector's items. I decided that not touching anything was the best course of action.

On to his DVD and CD collection. The CD's stopped in the early 2000's, so I guessed he'd gone digital after that. The DVD's had a mix of Blu-Ray discs in tiny blue boxes. Everything was just like his book collection: eclectic. He had action, comedy, romance, even cartoons. I did find an obvious neglect of horror stock. I guessed when you're a vampire there's nothing more horrifying than yourself. Or maybe it was Eric's preference. I'd ask later.

I couldn't stand being idle much longer, so I did laundry. There wasn't anything else to do. The house was spotless otherwise. The hamper did need attention.

It was really strange to walk into the light-tight basement to find a coffin and nothing else. It was even stranger when I found a second coffin inside the laundry room, propped up against the wall. "Guest rooms," I muttered and then laughed out loud.

When everything was clean and ready to be put away, I headed back up to Eric's bedroom, to fold and hang clothes. I was using the corner of the bed where I'd been sleeping as a folding station, while Eric took up most of the rest of the bed with his huge frame.

"I'm mad at you," I said out loud while folding underwear. I talked to myself out loud, why not talk to him? He'd never know. "You were very high-handed with the way you gave me those earrings. Just because I can't decline them now doesn't mean I won't later." I sighed. "I know you meant well, but I'm not with you for your money, and if I accept them I'm afraid that's exactly what you'll think. Plus it's not fair to me. What am I supposed to give you in return?" I remembered the nice polo shirt I'd seen at Nordstrom's. It wasn't nearly as nice as the earrings, but it would make me feel better to give him something.

I started looking through drawers to find his underwear drawer, and got a surprise when I did. I'd seen him in boxers and briefs now. He also owned boxer-briefs, and some interesting sexy stuff. A red pair of bikini underwear in particular, caught my eye. I held them up. They would be strained on him for sure. I folded them back up and put them right where I'd found them, flushing bright red. When in the world would he ever use those?

I kept putting things away and found a drawer where he kept workout clothes. Why did he need to work out? He was frozen in time. Maybe he liked how comfortable workout clothes were. I knew from talking to Pam that uncomfortable shoes and clothes on humans were just as uncomfortable on vampires, though the lingering effects were not as bad. No blisters or corns on their feet, for example.

Inside the drawer with the workout clothes, something bright pink caught my eye, and my curiosity got the better of me. I dug for it and held it up. It was a pair of Lycra pants in bright pink with aqua swirls. I looked at the tag: extra large tall, definitely Eric's. He and I needed to talk, as soon as I was done with my fit of giggles. Forget lederhosen. This was way better. It must have been a Halloween costume or something leftover from the 80's. I put them back where I'd found them, feeling a little guilty about looking in his drawers. In my defense, I hadn't searched inside the drawer where I'd seen some jewelry boxes and watches. There were no clothes there, so there was nothing for me to look for.

I did examine his bottles of cologne, and found the one he'd worn on our second date. Of all the other ones, I liked that one the best. "Aqua Di Gio, this is what you should wear all the time," I pointed it at him, still sleeping. I put back the bottle and peeked at my earrings.

_My earrings_, I thought. I had already accepted them. So why was it so hard to just put them back on? He'd be happy to see them on me. Didn't I want to make him happy? He sure wanted to make me happy, therefore the earrings. He'd meant to surprise me. I sighed again, reached for them, examined each exquisite stone. He had very good taste. I could wear these with my new red dress, or my old white one with red flowers, or my work dress. One more sigh and they made it into my earlobes. I looked at my reflection, with my hair up in a ponytail.

"Alright, Eric. You are very good at picking gifts. Just don't make it a habit." I walked over to the bed and lied next to him. "You didn't have to, you know? But thank you," I kissed his hand. _Did it twitch?_ I almost jumped out of my skin when his hand moved. Nothing else happened for several moments. Maybe I had imagined it.

"Well… I have a few more hours to kill so I'm going to make use of your sunny backyard," I patted his hand again and left. I'd found the linen closet, chock full of giant fluffy towels, so I stole one of those. I was already wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, so I headed outside through a door in the den.

There was every semblance that a regular, upper-middle-class person or persons resided in this house, right down to the stainless steel grill on the deck. Thankfully that also meant deck chairs, so there was no need for the towel after all. I could just sit and soak the sun. I set out to spend at least an hour outside, before the sun got too low to enjoy and I had to start getting ready for out "special date."

I was suddenly nervous. What could possibly be special about a date? Weren't dates, by definition, special already? I took a deep breath. Maybe he meant the Oktoberfest. That would be fun, for sure, as long as I didn't go overboard on the beer.

Accepting the earrings was still bothering me. Then I gave myself a stern lecture. When was the last time anybody had given me anything? Not just anybody, but an important somebody in my life. Gran would've if she could've. She had been the most important person in my life. Jason was important but… sibling rivalry and all. We'd never outgrown it. He was the only family I had, and I found our relationship lacking. Right now the man dead in his bedroom was the closest thing I had to family.

I touched an earring delicately, wondering when Eric had bought them, what he was thinking, why give them to me now? Why not give them to me now? I'd had a hell of a couple of nights. Maybe he thought I deserved something nice and pretty, and since he was in a position to give me something special, he simply did it. And here I was trying to find the cat's fifth leg, when there was nothing more sinister about the gift other than it was a pretty bauble.

I made myself stop thinking, and read a little bit from the book I'd brought from home. It was a paranormal romance. The genre had surged in popularity since the vampires had come out of the coffin. I had to stop reading right as the vampire in my novel was about to bite the beautiful but penniless governess. It was time for this beautiful but penniless barmaid to get ready for her date with her own vampire. I was going to do my hair. I'd already ascertained that Eric had a very good hair dryer and the right brush to dry my hair perfectly straight. Of course he did. He used it for his own hair.

I took my sweet ol' time getting ready, since apparently I had nothing to wear yet. I did put my hair up with pins I found in a drawer in the bathroom. Again, it was one of those things that I couldn't understand why or when Eric would use them. I managed to put some waves into my hair by using my fingers. I put on my makeup the way Pam had shown me (since I couldn't go wrong no matter what I was wearing) put my new earrings back on, and put on one of his robes, a short one that came down almost to my knees.

And then I waited. There was nothing for me to do other than wait until Eric woke up. So I sat on his slipper chair and continued reading my paranormal romance. The girl got bitten and it hurt. The vampire had called it a sweet sacrifice. Not fair.

I caught movement out of the corner of my eye, but continued reading because they were talking in my novel. Well, the vampire was talking, she was screaming bloody murder. Eric cleared his throat, which was mighty funny, considering he didn't get any phlegm. I looked up and smiled. I had to. His hair was a glorious mess.

He smiled back and moved to sit on "my" side of the bed, the side closest to the slipper chair. "I'm awaiting the wrath of Sookie, and don't see it coming."

I made a face. He did know me well. I cleared my features quickly and tried again. "Thank you for the earrings. They're beautiful and I was very surprised to receive them. But I want you to know that I'm not with you for what you can buy me or give me, other than yourself." I'd made up my mind about what I was going to say and I said it.

He was bending over me in a blur of speed. His hands were on either armrest of the chair I was sitting on and his face was mere inches from mine. His expression was serious and scary to me. "I'm not immortal. I live for a very long time, but at any time I can die, just like anybody else. I cannot take my money with me, so I rather spend it and make good use of it. Please accept my gifts as a token of my love for you, and thank me profusely," his expression softened as well as his voice. "You're my beautiful gracious love. Can you understand why I would like to shower you with gifts? And, by the way, you look magnificent."

Eric kissed me very lightly on my lipsticked lips, and then kissed my neck more forcefully, sending shivers all the way down to my tootsies.

"Thank you," I blurted out almost breathless.

"That's more like it," he straightened up and walked to his closet, my own Norse god naked and magnificent. I ogled. I did. He emerged holding a garment bag. I'd thought it was one of his suits when I'd seen it earlier. "This is for you. I'll take a shower while you get dressed, so that I may be surprised as well," he winked at me, and set the garment bag on the bed.

"You can wear your lederhosen, but I'm not wearing a dirndl," I called out, unzipping the bag.

"Sookie, you know too much. Put your clothes on," he ordered, already at the door to the bathroom. I think that was his way of telling me I was a smart ass.

In one of my romances, the bodice of a girl's dirndl, which was a type of Bavarian dress, had been ripped apart by her lover. I knew things. How I came to know them was… not always academic.

Inside the bag I found (not a dirndl) a gold sheath dress, in satin, with pleats running widthwise, and a band of sequin around the top one inch of the dress. And only one shoulder. I began to panic but calmed down when I found a Victoria's Secret bag inside and a note taped to it. Pam had written "Trust me" in her fancy cursive. I looked inside and found a very sturdy strapless bra and matching bikini panties, both in red. I kept searching inside the garment bag and found a box of gold high-heeled sandals to match the gold dress. I had a sneaky suspicion that we weren't going to Oktoberfest. I'd never owned anything as beautiful as the dress, or the shoes, or the earrings, or even the high-end underwear.

Remarkably, my boobs stayed firmly inside the bra and my ass inside the panties. I zipped up the dress without any difficulty. But of course, Pam knew my size. I was looking at half of myself in the mirror when Eric emerged, still naked but now clean, and stood with his hands on his hips and a seductive smile in the middle of the room.

"You look like the sun," he said.

I was going to say that the sun was a tad bit brighter, but shut my mouth. "Did you pick this out? It's beautiful," I said instead. Even with the one bare shoulder, Gran would have approved of this dress. It covered everything, it came right to my knees, and the pleats were very flattering.

"Pam helped a lot," he took a deep breath and frowned a little. "Will you not wear perfume? Not that you don't smell delicious, but you smell like my soap too."

"I forgot to bring mine," I mumbled, feeling stupid.

Eric opened the drawer where I'd seen his jewelry boxes and watches, and reached in. "Is this the one you like?" he held up a box of the Bulgari perfume Pam had bought for me.

"Yes. How come you have a box?" I said, walking to him and getting the box.

He shrugged. "I liked it on you, so I bought more."

Why did I ask him stupid questions? Vampires were a conundrum wrapped in an enigma. I was half surprised I hadn't found a drawer of underwear for me.

"Your scent is on everything here. What were you doing?" he asked, but wasn't mad. He had one of his signature devilish smiles, and I should have known he would like for me to have been looking at his underwear.

"I did your laundry and put everything away. I had to search your drawers to find the right ones," I said, feeling a little defensive.

He blinked. "You did my laundry? Why?"

"Because it needed to be done. Your hamper was about to overflow," I explained it to him, because obviously overflowing hampers were an alien concept.

"You didn't need to do that," he shook his head.

"And you didn't need to get me earrings, yet here we are. Are you getting dressed tonight?" I asked, trying to get him off the stupid subject already. So I did his laundry. Big whoop-de-do.

"Oh, lover, do that again," he said, eyeing me up and down, and down. He was admiring my legs. I was standing in a mad pose, with my arms crossed, one leg straight, another jutting out.

"If you don't get dressed I'll dress you myself," I warned him.

Why didn't I learn? He ran one hand seductively from his chest all the way down, and down, and OH MY GOD! down, licking his lips. I turned around quickly, embarrassed and horny, and walked away.

"At the very least, will you watch?" he asked. I knew he had turned back to his closet by the sound of his voice.

"We might never get out of here," I mumbled and I heard him snicker.

"This one, my lover?" he asked me, holding up the Aqua Di Gio cologne. How did he know? I only nodded and he sprayed a tiny bit on his stomach. Yikes!

I did watch… from the safety of the slipper chair. Eric's body was mesmerizing, and I always liked to see him get dressed. Tonight he was wearing more layers than usual: Boxer-briefs (I was highly disappointed that those came first, _bye-bye butt_), dress socks, dress white shirt. He looked in his jewelry drawer and produced a heavy watch and a set of cufflinks that sparkled red. He put those on and proceeded with the blue and black striped tie, and the navy tailored suit. He looked like a million bucks.

"May I use that chair?" he asked me, procuring his shoes. My mouth must have been hanging open.

I got up immediately, realizing I could have been doing something immensely more productive, like making the bed, or at least putting away the bags that my clothes had come in. I did that while he tied his shoes, but Eric waved me away from the bed and made it himself in about a second and a half. Maybe two.

"Are you ready?" he asked, holding out his hand to me. I grabbed my new gold clutch purse, grabbed his hand, and off we went.

As we passed the kitchen I remembered, "Are we having dinner or should I eat something now?"

"We're having dinner and the sooner the better. You're hungry already," he said, and kept pulling me to the garage. I guess he could hear my stomach better than me because I didn't feel particularly hungry.

"Aren't you hungry?" I asked. We were moving so fast he'd already locked the garage door and had started the Corvette remotely.

"Not yet," he smiled. It was coming… "I will be later, though," and there it was. I knew him enough now to know he was nervous. He didn't make that many lascivious remarks unless something was bugging him.

I stopped in my tracks before he could open the door to the car. "Hey…" I said in a soft voice, and pulled on his hand. He came back to me, frowning. "What's wrong? Why are you so nervous?"

He didn't try to deny it, at least. He did give me a half smile, one that said "I'm busted." Instead of saying that exact phrase out loud, he said, "We'll be late," and kissed my forehead.

We drove through the streets and local highways of Shreveport, getting close to Bossier. Since he was so nervous, I decided to just go for it, the question burning in my brain all afternoon.

"What's with the pink Lycra pants?" I turned a little to wait for his answer.

He shot me a quick look then guffawed at my side. There! Nervous problem solved. I hoped.

"It was something I wore in '88. I don't know why I haven't gotten rid of them. I saw more concerts that year than ever before or after. I would be deaf if I weren't a vampire," he said, still chuckling.

I felt very young very suddenly. I was just… what? Four years old in '88? Yeah… I was playing with My Little Ponies and Eric was going to concerts. My Gran used to say not to think too deeply about things that were hard to fathom, lest we go crazy. That's why I always thought astronomers were nuts: the vastness of it all… And somewhere out there was God too.

"Your mood shifted," Eric chimed from his side of the car. "What made you… confused? Not the pants…"

"No, no!" I interrupted. _Way to go, Sookie! Now he's nervous again._ "I was doing math, the vastness of the universe, all those zeroes…" I drifted.

"You must be very hungry. We weren't even talking about that."

I tried one more time. "Will you wear the red underwear for me? It looked very sexy," I said, and smiled, blushing at the thought.

"Only if you wear red underwear for me," he countered.

"Done," I said and pulled down the dress just enough to reveal a sliver of red bra.

"Oh! That is sexy," he didn't swerve, but he did have a hard time keeping his eyes on the road.

We made it to our destination after a few minutes. I remembered this place from a trip during elementary school. It was a garden and conservatory, and a museum if I remembered correctly. Eric parked the Corvette right up front. The place looked dead. I didn't say anything, but I was itching to point out the obvious: that the conservatory was closed at this hour.

"We are here," he announced, and turned off the car. He got my door and led me through the center arch of the entrance. At the door he knocked three times and we waited. I looked up with a question in my eyes, but when his met mine he was smiling serenely.

A man in a tuxedo came to get the door and to usher us through the conservatory back to the outside. There were several tables, but only one was set, and it was the one with the best view of the Red River, Bossier beyond it, and the Texas Street Neon Bridge that connected Shreveport to Bossier. Everything was so colorful and sparkly that it took me a minute to realize this is where we were having dinner.

"Do you like it?" Eric asked, still at my side. I had stopped walking halfway to the table, to admire the view.

"I'd never seen this place at night. It's beautiful," I answered, and started moving forward again.

Eric held my chair in a very gentlemanly way, and when he sat he did so next to me, rather than across from me. I supposed he wanted to admire the view too, not that I minded having him close. The man in the tuxedo started bringing out things: water and white wine for me, a True Blood for Eric. On his second trip he brought me a plate with a sizzling steak, loaded baked potato, fresh veggies. I wasn't complaining, but this was weird.

"Um… Eric?"

"You don't like your food? I've seen you eat that before," he started to get defensive.

"Food's great," I said immediately, though I hadn't tried it yet. It smelled good. "Why aren't we at a regular restaurant?" I went ahead and started eating. The food _was_ very good.

"Oh," he deflated quickly and smiled. "We have this place for the night. After dinner we'll take a stroll through the museum and the gardens."

"Okay, I'd like that," I said, knowing better than to ask how come they opened the place for just us and creepy-tuxedo guy. But I started asking questions anyway. "I was looking at your book collection. Are those old editions something you've had or did you get them recently?"

"They're a mix," he said, but didn't elaborate.

I felt like I was trying really hard with this conversation, when normally everything was so easy. "How come you don't have any horror flicks in your collection?"

"They're not to my taste," he shrugged.

"But _Finding Nemo_ is?" I asked, trying to keep it light.

It worked. Eric chuckled, "I like the turtles."

"I didn't see _Twilight_ among your collection. Did you watch it?"

"No. Reading the book was enough. Whoever thought up poisonous vampires wasn't thinking very clearly. And the blood of animals?" he shook his head in disgust.

I could understand. Vampires became aroused when they drank blood. Enough said.

"Can you move during the day?" I asked, sort of on topic, but remembering how his hand had moved when I'd kissed it.

"It's very difficult, but not impossible. Something very dire must be happening. Thankfully I've only had to do that a couple of times in my life," he paused, watching me eat. I was getting used to it. "If your life were in danger, I would wake up and try to save you."

I swallowed a bite. I knew my eyes had widened. He would suffer sure injury if he tried to save my life during the day. "I'll try not to get in trouble during the day," I said nervous.

"Only at night?" he asked, running a finger over my cheek.

"I'll try to get in trouble only at night, though I'd rather not get in trouble at all."

"Yes, I'd prefer that as well," he said. He was playing with a strand of my hair now and had me mesmerized into forgetting dinner. "Are you done?"

I looked down at my plate. I was almost done and not hungry anymore. The tight feeling in my stomach wouldn't let me eat anymore. "I'm done."

"Would you join me for a walk?" he asked, getting up and getting my chair.

I didn't answer. The answer was implied when I laced my fingers through his. He knew where to go, and led us to the museum. I hadn't been to a museum in ages, since a trip with Gran's DoGD group to the Old Arsenal Museum in Baton Rouge four years prior. This one was different. This museum housed art, not history, each painting brilliantly displayed. I could take my time exploring whatever painting struck my fancy, because the only other person wanting to look at it could just stand beside me. One painting in particular held me in awe. It was flowers, amorphous hibiscus from the looks of it, but the colors were so vivid, I had to get close to discern how many colors each petal had. Eric drew close, and I thought he was studying the painting too, but when I looked up to say something about the painting he caught me. Literally. His arms circled my waist and back and he bent to kiss me.

This kiss reminded me of the one he'd first given me in his office: soft, deliberate. This time, however, I could respond properly. I put my arms around his neck and pressed myself against him. The kiss lingered, less like a fire and more like a slow burn. I enjoyed it immensely, a simple pleasure. He pulled away first, but not before kissing the corner of my mouth, my nose, my chin.

Eric didn't pull away completely. He rested his forehead against mine, breathing deeply. I opened my eyes to find that his were completely closed, like he was thinking really hard. I ran my hands through his hair, hoping that the motion would be soothing.

"Won't you tell me what's wrong?" I asked, thinking of several things that could be bad, and one that would be the worst: him, leaving me, breaking my heart like I'd feared he would. Maybe he was saying goodbye. My irrational thought sent chills down my spine, made my hands clammy and my pulse accelerate.

He opened his eyes immediately and pulled away to look at me properly. "It's nothing to fear, please, Sookie, calm down dear one." He put both hands on my face, so large that his fingers knotted into my hair.

"I'm okay," I lied.

"Come, let's walk."

Eric took my hand again, and led us to the far end of the gallery. We entered the conservatory into a very dark garden. Nothing was lit except the path at our feet. The scent of honeysuckle met me almost immediately, sweet and pungent.

"Close your eyes, Sookie," Eric said, and moved behind me, one cool hand on my bare shoulder, the other caressing my arm. He pushed forward. I had to trust him that I wouldn't trip while we walked.

As we moved through the garden the honeysuckle faded and I could smell lavender. We moved a little further and came upon a scent I didn't recognize right away.

"What is that?" I asked in a whisper. I didn't want to disrupt the silence.

"Poet's narcissus," Eric answered into my ear, planting a soft kiss where my neck met my jaw, giving me goose bumps. My fear lifted and I began to relax into Eric.

The scents inside this garden were so luxurious that my sense of smell became overwhelmed the further we walked. I didn't know what plant came next, only that it was different than the last. I became dizzy and opened my eyes. I found we were in the middle of a rose forest, though all I could see were the faint outlines of the flowers climbing on trellises on either side of us. I looked up to find the flowers made a canopy only about a foot above Eric's head. He reached up, touching one flower, his glowing skin faintly lighting the bloom.

He looked down at me, holding my gaze while he moved us, faster than I could fathom, and bade me to sit on a bench under the rose canopy. Then he did something I was sure he'd never done in a thousand years. Eric knelt before me, prostrate like a supplicant, my hands in his or his in mine, I wasn't sure. I was shocked.

"Sookie," he took a deep breath, probably filling up his lungs so he could speak. "I've been going about this the wrong way. I don't want you to be scared into loving me. I want you to know me and love me on your own terms."

"I do love you," I interrupted. I thought it was clear. Maybe not. But this was the first time I'd fallen in love with anybody. It's not like there's a manual that explains exactly how to show it.

"I know you do. You show me every moment we're together. What you don't understand is this driving need within me to keep you safe, to keep you beside me so I can love you," he kissed my hands softly.

I wasn't unmoved. My heart was a little rabbit jumping inside my ribcage. If only I could read Eric's thoughts, or his feelings, anything that would tell me what I should say or do right this very minute. I was scared, I was happy. My own body betrayed me when I had to take a deep breath that sounded like a sigh.

"Sookie?" he pulled something from the inner pocket of his jacket and set it on my hand. "Will you be mine? Will you bond with me so we can stay together?"

I couldn't escape, not that I exactly wanted to. His usually blue eyes were dark pools in the dim light, and they were holding me captive. My brain had seized and I couldn't think. _Did he glamour me?_ But I knew that was impossible.

I closed my hand around the object he'd placed in it. It was a small box. _Oh, my God! Did he just propose?_ I didn't dare look at it just yet. Instead I closed my eyes, so I could be truly alone inside my head for a moment. Just a few minutes ago I'd suffered through my own self-inflicted agony of losing him, and here he was giving me everything. No wonder he'd been nervous all night. He'd been scared of rejection.

I opened my eyes again. I could see his pain already manifesting, and I was the cause. Hadn't I prayed for Eric to be safe? Because I couldn't stand to see him hurt again?

"I love you," I managed to say. My throat had gone so dry. I could do this. I wanted this. I had to do it before I could give myself some stupid reason to chicken out. "I'll bond with you."

Eric's answering smile was radiant. "Open your gift."

"Eric, what did you do?" I finally looked down at the box. It was wrapped in thick white parchment, held closed by a circular wax seal. I couldn't read the emblem, as much as I tried.

"Open the box, Sookie," he said, getting impatient.

I ripped the seal and unfolded the paper. Inside was a red box; that much I could tell. "Please tell me you have a flashlight."

"You won't need it in a minute. Open the box," Eric said, and I did, cringing.

I was expecting a huge diamond engagement ring worthy of Mariah Carey or some such show off. What I found was so much better. Eric really did know me. It was a simple white gold band with tiny gems set within the band itself. Some were diamonds, and the others were a darker stone, probably sapphires. He took it from the box and put it on my left ring finger. It fit perfect.

"I wish I could see it properly to tell you exactly how beautiful it is," I said drolly, looking at it, or trying to.

"Sookie." The intensity in his voice made me look up. He was standing in front of me and pulled me to stand too. He sat on the just-vacated bench, and sat me on his lap. Before I could say or ask anything, he lifted his wrist and sank his fangs into the soft fleshy part. I took it gingerly and brought it to my mouth, sucking on the two wounds as hard as I could to get the blood to flow. The sweet and salty fluid warmed me as I swallowed it, like wine.

Eric's fingers caressed my neck softly, before the sharp pain of his bite made me gasp. He moaned as he drank my blood. Like a rush of warm air on a cold night, I felt his feelings invade me. The first thing I felt was his euphoria as he took my blood. When he started licking my neck to close the wounds, the feeling morphed to lust. It was more than a feeling. I could feel him pressing against my leg.

I stopped drinking Eric's blood when his wounds closed. I looked around with new eyes. It was as if somebody had turned on a light. Every rose bloom now had a distinct color. I looked down at my ring, admiring it properly. The sapphires shone blue and perfect next to the diamonds. I saw the discarded box: red with gold embellishments. I did all this at vampire speed, surprising even myself.

"I want you," Eric growled, still at my neck. I knew what he meant because I wanted him too and didn't care where we were. I wanted him _now, now, now_!

I got off him, hitched up my skirt and pulled down my panties. Eric stripped from the waist down and I returned to him as quickly as I could, straddling him, impaling myself on his hardness. I hadn't been ready, not entirely, and it hurt. He held me still after I cried out in pain.

"Come here," he said, pulling me to him. He kissed me slowly, licking my lips, opening my mouth with his tongue. I let him in, tangling my tongue with his. I tasted my own blood when I sucked, and I liked it. I liked it that I was inside him, that I could taste myself on him. My lust flared again and I began moving my hips in a circular motion. He moaned into my mouth and I into his. I felt like a vampire. I wanted to bite him, ravage him, make him mine.

"Mine!" I said, as I thrust against him. I bit his lip, tugging at it, without breaking the skin. "Mine!" I said again, bouncing harder on him.

Eric snarled a "yes!" and helped me bounce faster. I bit his earlobe, his neck, pulled on his hair to make him look at me. He looked wild with desire, a deep growl building somewhere inside his chest. His thumb found my center, and he held me still once more, this time pumping into me. He pumped faster than he ever had, vampire fast. I lost it, and quickly. My climax took over both of us as I screamed his name, holding on to his neck for dear life. He threw his head back, filling the whole conservatory with my name.

**A/N:** Thank you all for your reviews. They mean a lot to me. It also means a lot to me that you have favorited and alerted not only this story, but me as an author. You guys give amazing Christmas gifts!


	15. Behind Blue Eyes

**A/N**: To my wonderful reviewer AmaZen: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED AND COMPLETED. She asked if they kept monkeys in the conservatory, and I just had to use it. Had to.

CH posted the first chapter of _Dead Reckoning_ on her website. I'm feeling a bit "meh" about it. I'm hoping the rest of the book is better.

I was thinking, thinking… I really love Eric (who doesn't?) and I really wanted to get his take on things now that he and Sookie are bonded. So… what follows is Eric's POV.

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Behind Blue Eyes**

Sookie had been magnificent. She had glowed like a vampire, claimed me, fucked me. She'd bitten me. It was only her obvious love that kept her from breaking my skin. I wished she had. Now she was panting and gripping me so tight I thought I might come again. In fact if I moved a little…

"Eric," she sighed, letting me pump into her. She moaned; she liked it. Her head had been resting on my shoulder and now she was kissing me on my neck. That I let her this close was a miracle in itself. Just like her.

"Look at me, my love," I said, switching my endearment a little. She was more than my lover now. My existence was tied to her life irrevocably.

Her blue-gray eyes bore into me, like they always had from the very first time she looked at me. But unlike then, when I couldn't know what she was thinking, now I could feel her lust, her love. It mirrored mine and doubled it.

I moved inside her slowly now, savoring the heat of her body, the scent of arousal coming from her blood and her fluids, my scent on her, hers on me. My baser instincts took over and I felt a growl rip through me. It was an unconscious thing. I thought she'd be scared of me when I sounded like that, but she surprised me by becoming even more excited. Right at that moment she was running both thumbs over my fangs, pricked them both and let me suck on her blood.

Sookie's blood was like no other human's, and that had only been a pleasant surprise. I say "only" because I had already been a fool for her by the time I tasted her blood. It was all I could do not to throw her down on the couch and fuck her in front of Pam when I licked the arm that Long Shadow had bitten.

Sookie allowed me this: to take her blood when we had sex. When we made love. I heard her cry out inside the conservatory and I knew she was close to coming again. I helped her because she was exquisite when she climaxed, and I was never going to let her miss it. And also for a more selfish reason: whenever she climaxed she milked an orgasm from me. It was a win-win situation, like they say in business. They should say it in pleasure as well.

We disengaged, and she was mortified and embarrassed by what we had done, or rather, where we'd had sex. I didn't expect anything less from her.

"Sookie, there's nobody here but us, I swear," I had to tell her. Her shame pressing on me was almost dizzying. If it was that bad for me, it must have been worse for her.

She looked up at me, straightening her skirt. Her skin was flushed red, and her hair was a mess. But she looked beautiful like this too, because she was mine. She was waiting for me to elaborate, her eyes wide. "The caterer left right as we entered the museum. We've been alone for a while now."

"Oh," she said, relaxing. I saw her peeking at her ring. She hadn't even known it came from Cartier. I would not have gotten her anything less just because she didn't know, but it just went to show the type of person she was: simple tastes, down to earth, fiercely proud, sometimes too much. Like me.

I approached her slowly, like I (almost) always did. She had to see me coming or she would become scared, and I'd had enough of scaring her. I understood perfectly well that I wasn't done wooing or courting her simply because we were bonded. Now more than ever she needed me to be her lover. She'd find out about the ruler soon enough. She'd probably balk and call me an asshole. She'd forgive me eventually, I was counting on that. Right now I wanted her lips.

Sookie returned my kiss like she always did: hesitant at first and then, acknowledging that she was a passionate woman, she pressed her whole body into mine, lending me her warmth.

"Can we go home?" she asked speaking into my lips. I nodded and obliged. She meant my home. Hers if she wanted it.

Pam didn't believe me. She'd called me a fool when I destroyed the blood drainers' trailer in a fit of carefully orchestrated rage. I didn't care that they were vampire drainers. Frankly, any vampire that got caught deserved to be drained. When I spoke to Merlotte about Sookie, he explained what she could do, and what other people did to her. It was worse than I imagined. She was being constantly raped inside her mind, violated, mutilated. Sookie had been so concerned for my safety that she had no qualms telling me what she had seen inside those people's heads, and what she had seen had been horrific to her. When I explained everything to Pam, she relented, and when she actually met Sookie, she understood why I'd become such a fool for a human woman.

What surprised me the most was not Pam's understanding, but her overnight protectiveness of Sookie. She had severely objected to my testing Sookie during the situation with Long Shadow, but it was the only way for me to know exactly how she received others' thoughts. Touch seemed to amplify her ability. I didn't know she could tear apart others' minds to search for what she was looking for. It was awful to watch her seep tears from her eyes and blood from her nose in the effort to reach into Ginger's memories. She'd gone into a trance, and caused Ginger a great amount of agony. Pam was able to erase Ginger's memory of the night, but it took her a lot more effort than she normally would have needed. And then Long Shadow attacked Sookie instead of me. Pam had been livid with me. Rightly so.

I looked over at little Sookie, bundled into my blazer, lying on her side in the passenger seat of my beloved Corvette. Hers too, if she wanted it. But she never would. That's what made her different and special and a pain in the ass. She had been very difficult with Pam when they had gone shopping together. She'd called the flowers I'd sent extravagant. I took her virginity, the highest prize, and she complained about the size of the flower arrangement I'd sent. Because it was _too big_. Somehow I had won anyway. She was wearing the ruby earrings I'd gotten her. They shone in the lights of the highway. She deserved that and so much more after all she'd been through.

We arrived at my house and Sookie had fallen asleep. I carried her up to the bedroom and she woke up in my arms just as I set her down on the bed. She clung to me for a moment, and then made the effort of getting up.

"I have to brush my teeth," she mumbled. She was embarrassed by her human needs. Any day now she was going to have her period. I wondered how that would go. Meanwhile I was fascinated. Call it a morbid curiosity. I supposed I shared it with human doctors. I almost followed her to the bathroom but she stopped me with a look. The only other person who had ever been able to do that was my own human father. He would have approved of my choice to make Sookie my wife. She was beautiful, healthy, hard working (she'd done my laundry, for fuck's sake!), and would have borne me many children. Unfortunately that was something that Sookie would not be able to have, not with me. I cut off that thought immediately.

When Sookie finished using the toilet and I could smell the scent of soap, I entered the bathroom. I brushed her hair, so much like mine it was uncanny, and put it in a ponytail. She'd already taken off her shoes in the car, so instead I helped her with the dress. She brushed her teeth and stepped out of it. I finally saw the red underwear in its entirety for the first time, and it made me want her again. I'd try my luck, otherwise I'd have to jack off later and I hated doing that with Sookie so close and so available.

I took off my clothes while she washed her face and stood naked behind her so she could see my reflection. Her face said it all, and her feelings said more. She wanted me like I wanted her. Of course she did. My blood in her made her like my vampire child, and makers and children had a very sexual early relationship. Unfortunately the human was tired.

"I'm no good to you, honey," she said. She was truly contrite. I could see and feel how sorry she was not to be able to deliver.

"Let me take care of you," I crooned in her ear. She bit her lip and nodded.

I made love to her slowly, taking my time with my new blood bonded, worshipping her like she deserved. She was mine, after all: my equal and my beloved. Having sex was great, but making love was needed to heal. She'd never had either love or sex, and I'd never had love, not the kind I got from her. Sookie had cried from the intensity of it, her poor battered soul unable to take all the emotion she felt. And now, as we joined for a third time that night, as tired as she was she still wanted to kiss me or touch me. When my face wasn't close enough for her to kiss, she'd kiss my arms. She caressed my back, my shoulders, my face, every touch so hot it felt like lightning was searing my skin.

She came underneath me, so tired she barely whimpered. She still took me with her. It felt so good to come inside her, as she clamped down on my cock like a vise. _So tight_.

I stared at her for a long time, as long as it took her to start dreaming. I had to leave her and attend to business. As much as I abhorred the things, I'd have to get a laptop so I wouldn't have to leave Sookie alone. They just never moved as fast as desktops.

"Sweet dreams, my Sookie," I whispered in her ear, only to see if it would elicit some kind of acknowledgement. Her feelings of love flared within me. She'd heard me.

I wondered if I could hear her too. Ever since she'd taken my blood the first time, I'd had dreams. I hadn't dreamt of anything that I could remember since my turning. Suddenly I was dreaming of her house, of her Gran, feelings of anguish or elation. Right before our date I dreamt she'd lied beside me in bed, to kiss my hand. It had been so real. To dream was unsettling at first, until I realized what was happening.

My cell phone had one missed phone call from Pam, so I went to my office to return it.

"Master," she answered her phone on the first ring. She must have been with somebody to be so formal. Somebody important.

"You called," I said.

"Yes, we have a visitor who would like to know our progress. He will come back tomorrow seeing as your business has kept you so long," Pam said.

_Fucking hell!_ I knew exactly what that meant. Andre, Sophie-Anne's second, had come to see if we had Sookie. I had planned for this, but I didn't expect it so soon. The Queen must have heard about the three motherfuckers at Sookie's house, probably from cocksucker Bill Compton.

"Thank you, Pam. Set up the meeting for eight o'clock," I said, sounding official, even though I wanted to rip something or someone. Preferably into little pieces.

After hanging up with Pam I attended to some things that I could do online. She would call me again when it was safe to speak.

My Area Five email was not incredibly heavy tonight. I addressed most problems with a quick reply ("Can I burn my neighbor's dog?" "No, if it's barking all night, call the human police" That type of thing). Some problems I would have to address by making phone calls. The Sheriff of Area Six in Dallas had lost one of his nest mates. I did not care for my staff to live in nests. It bred vampires like those who attacked Sookie's house, always one-upping each other into becoming perverse. However, I had to help a fellow Sheriff whether I liked his living arrangements or not.

"Mostly I wanted to see if anybody had spotted him around Shreveport," Sheriff Stan said. "He has a friend that lives in your neighborhood, so I'm covering all the bases."

"He has not checked in with me. When did he disappear?"

"Two days ago. It's not like him to not say where he was going or returning. We lost a nest mate that way, and we're all very vigilant of each other ever since then," Stan said, truly concerned.

"I will make inquiries and get back to you as soon as possible," I promised.

Pam called a few minutes later. "It's all set. How's Sookie?"

"Asleep," I answered, waiting to see exactly what she was asking.

"So she doesn't know about the little fucker?" Pam asked. Andre looked younger than her, so even though he was bigger and taller (and older in vampire years), he was still a whelp to her.

"No."

"Good. One night of peaceful sleep will do her good. How did your date go?"

I knew she'd been waiting impatiently to ask. "She accepted. We are now bonded. To celebrate we had sex in the conservatory, under a rose canopy." She liked detail.

"Great. Knowing you two you probably had people wondering about the monkeys in the rose bushes." Pam had blossomed after meeting Sookie. She smiled more, laughed more. Right now, the tone of her voice told me she was smiling at her own joke. I loved Sookie all the more for making my child happy. "Did she like the dress?"

"Yes, very much. I am sure she will thank you as soon as she can. You know how she is," I said, imagining Sookie sending Pam a Thank You card. She would too, as well as thank her on the phone, AND doing it in person next time they saw each other. When Sookie thanked you, you knew it.

"I do know, that's why I asked."

"I was expecting her to be upset about the earrings, but all I got was a short version of not wanting to be with me for the things I can give her, other than myself."

There was silence on the other line, followed by a "Wow!"

"I suppose taking her shopping was not the best idea. You should have waited until she was asleep and dressed her," I said, and couldn't help it: I laughed at my child.

"Blast! You're a conniving wretch!" she yelled at me, reverting to her old accent and idioms, which only made me laugh harder. She hadn't known how I'd given Sookie the earrings.

She waited until I settled to ask me the most important question. "What does it feel like?" Her voice was quiet, reverent, when she asked.

"A lot like she's my child, but I can feel her when I'm asleep as well," I answered just as quietly.

"Does that mean she's my sibling?"

"Perhaps. I don't understand it all completely, and when I ask Sophie-Anne she will be very upset with me. I'm counting on her love for her own children to make her understand why Sookie has to stay beside me," I said, running my hand through my hair. If my heart beat at all, it would have been racing.

I felt something tug at me. I was being called. I kept Pam on the phone and zoomed upstairs to Sookie. She was sitting in bed, wide-eyed and scared.

"Pam, I will speak to you later. Sookie is awake," I said, and hung up.

"What happened?" Sookie asked immediately. _Her_ heart was racing enough for the both of us.

"I don't know Sookie. What woke you?"

She shook her head, to clear it apparently. She did that a lot. "I dreamt… I had a nightmare. They came to get me. They took me away from you and you were," she made a motion with her hands as if I'd been weeping, "you were beside yourself. You killed so many," her voice was a whisper.

She'd described my thoughts back to myself. Those were the same images that had run through my mind when I spoke of the Queen. Could she read my mind? I couldn't let her know. She needed to rest.

"It was just a bad dream, my love, brought on by my mistake of leaving your side." I made her lie tucked into me, she on her right, I on my left, so I could see her face. "Don't cry. We are one now. Nobody will dare separate us."

She nodded and put her damp cheek on my chest. It didn't escape my notice that what had upset her wasn't that she was being taken away, but that I had wept and gone into a berserker rage worthy of my lineage.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I awoke upset, half hearing an imagined conversation. Sookie wasn't in the house; I could tell that right away. A paper with her scent was on her pillow. It was a note: _Sweetie, I had to go home. I took your car and I'll be back by 7. I promise not to ding it or otherwise damage it. I love you, Sookie._

_Shit!_ Something was wrong. She'd gone home and was still there. It was only a little after six. I wasn't worried about the time. I was worried about this alien feeling of rage within me. She was beyond angry. I got dressed in a hurry and took to the sky. I arrived fifteen minutes later.

"Fuck off, Jason!" I heard Sookie yell. I'd landed in the woods, just in case something more sinister was going on. But since it was only her asshole brother, I immediately joined Sookie.

The sight of me made her brother take a couple of steps back. They'd both been standing in the driveway in front of the house, near her brother's truck. He had a shotgun in his hand and immediately my instinct to protect my blood bonded made me go after him. He landed on the ground with one of my hands on his neck. They seemed to like to strangle him. It was all I could do not to crush his windpipe.

Sookie's overwhelming fear made me stop. I hated scaring her. I released her brother but took the gun, and rejoined her where she'd been standing.

"Eric is important to me, Jason," Sookie said, her voice calm but inside she was in turmoil. "If you can't understand and respect that, then you have no business being Adele Stackhouse's grandson."

I could understand perfectly what had happened, and didn't need her to explain, so I didn't ask for an explanation as she pulled me inside the house.

"I was about to leave and Jason showed up," she said, gathering things. She was already dressed for work. She held out my keys, refusing to meet my eyes.

I had enough experience feeling somebody else inside me to guess what was wrong. "I'm not mad at you, Sookie."

"You're the only one then. I'm mad at me. I shouldn't have taken your car. That's what started this whole thing. Jason came to pick up his shotgun and when he saw the car he lost it." Sookie's voice had gone up in volume and her hands were gesturing wildly in the air.

"He thinks you're sleeping with me for favors," I summarized.

"Of course he does. That's how people around here think, including me. Now you see why it's so difficult for me to accept gifts? And I was only _borrowing_ your car!"

"But you know that's not true," I made my voice soft, even though I felt like yelling. Who the fuck cared if she was sleeping with me for gifts or fun? They never cared about her before.

Sookie looked up. She was calming down. "I know," she paused. "God, this is so strange. It's like listening to your thoughts, but not. It only stops when you sleep."

"Do you regret it?" I asked carefully.

"No, not at all. I felt you wake up and I knew I wasn't alone. It was a relief," she said, but she didn't look relieved. "I'm so sorry you had to fly all the way here because of my stupidity."

I breathed in deeply as a gesture to show my exasperation. "I'm not mad at you."

"You should be," she quipped.

"Why? So you can apologize by making love to me? In that case pretend I'm mad at you and let's go to your bedroom," I gave her one of my most seductive smiles, and I heard her heart flutter. I loved when it did that.

She gave me a shy smile and bit her lip. I wondered if I could persuade her, then my higher brain functions reminded me of the meeting we had with Andre at eight. I preferred to arrive at Fangtasia early so I could prepare Sookie.

"I think we better go. I would like to be at the bar early tonight," I knew once I said that, she would jump and we would leave immediately. She always respected my position as owner of the bar. That's why it had been so difficult to convince her to go out with me to begin with.

"I'm ready when you are," she said, and her smile widened. I couldn't help it. I kissed her. I'd never craved anybody's attentions like I did hers. Maybe it was because they were not easily given.

On our way to the bar I brought up the subject of Halloween in order to mask my growing concern. Sookie was more curious than excited at the prospect.

"Don't tell me… humans dress up like vampires and vampires dress up like humans," she said laughing.

I laughed with her. "Maybe I'll wear my pink Lycra pants."

"No!" she said immediately. "No way, no how. Nobody gets to see you in those but me."

I felt flattered. "What should I wear instead? Should we dress as a couple?"

"Sure. I'll be Little Bo Peep, you'll be my sheep."

"You're confusing me with somebody else, my love."

"Oh, honey! I dunno! Besides, do you want to announce to everybody that we're together?"

I was confused. "Of course. Don't you?"

She was confused too. "Um, yeah… For some reason I thought we should keep it a secret. I don't know why I thought that…" her voice drifted. She was thinking hard about something. "Is it something I should tell humans? I mean… we're what? Engaged? Sort of? I don't even know what to call you. My boyfriend? That sounds like not enough."

"Sookie, you're over thinking it. If it makes you feel more comfortable to tell your human friends that we're engaged, then call me your fiancé and problem solved. We can't say we're married because in the United States that is illegal." Shit, she could call me her boyfriend, her boy toy, her bootie call for all I cared. She was mine. Period.

"You don't mind?" she asked, always making sure.

"Not at all."

"It makes sense, what with the ring and all," she turned the ring on her finger. Earlier I'd noticed she'd developed a quirk to caress it with her thumb. She really liked it. "Did I thank you for it? It's really lovely. It's really perfect," she was shy again.

"I think you thanked me profusely, yes," I answered, remembering the night before and immediately wanting her. The way her scent inundated every part of my car didn't help. Then I remembered she had driven it, and I imagined her shifting gears. It would be amazingly sexy to see her do it, unless… "Did you have any problems driving the car?"

"Nope. I learned how to drive on a standard, although it didn't have as many speeds. This car is awesome! I was doing eighty before I realized it; I didn't feel the speed… so I had to watch it 'cause the last thing I needed was to get a ticket in the middle of the day for driving a vampire's car. Not cool," she was laughing.

"That's it. You're not using my car again," I teased. She knew I wasn't serious.

"Oh, whatever, it was only for a couple of minutes before I caught myself. You should have seen the looks I got, though. I look good in a Corvette."

"In it and out of it. On it you'd look good too, I bet, with me on you even better," I reached for her cheek. She was blushing and it looked so _good_. Fuck! I wanted her.

She changed the subject quickly. "I can't believe I didn't think of it! You can be Hansel in lederhosen, and I can be Gretel in a dirndl. Pam can be the witch. I'm sure she'll have fun eating people's fingers, or at least biting them."

"Sookie, you're about to get fucked by the side of the road. You better start talking about global warming or El Niño," I had to tell her, because she had spoken about fingers and all I could think of was the way she had let me suck the blood from her thumbs. I was so hard it hurt.

I knew she'd looked down at my crotch, which didn't help at all. "I'm sorry," she said, and grew quiet. There was that shame again. Who in the fuck told her that sex was shameful?

"I'm sorry, my love. I didn't mean to sound cross. I really want you and I don't want to have you until we can get to a nice bed. The side of the road is not for you," I said, trying to explain.

The bad part: Sookie shrugged and her lust flared, letting me know that to her it didn't seem so bad. The good part: we were only five minutes away from Fangtasia, and we were early.

"I still think my idea about the costumes was good," she said, pouting a little. She wasn't upset, she just wanted validation.

"Yes it was. Talk it over with Pam. Maybe she'll agree. Although I was thinking we could do the Harry Potter cast. I'll be Harry, since I can fly on a broomstick," I smiled at her, easing the tension between us. She smiled back, appreciating my effort.

"I think that sounds even better. Pam would make a great Hermione, since she's the one who's always kicking peoples' butts," and she laughed, that ringing bell that told me all was well in Sookie's world.

At Fangtasia, Sookie couldn't wait to corner Pam and tell her all about dressing up like the Harry Potter cast for Halloween. Pam was nervous and looked at me concerned. I begged her to play along with only a pleading gaze. Sookie's spirits were about to come crashing down in a minute. I wanted her to have a little something good this evening.

"And who would you be?" Pam asked her. Her face was stoic, but I could feel a little bit of her excitement.

"Luna Lovegood with the goofy glasses," Sookie beamed, but just as quickly as it came, her smile faded. "Something's wrong," she pronounced, and looked at me. "You're worried about something, or angry."

Our bond was weak if she'd only noticed this now. That was something to think about. Either way, it was there. She could tell what I was feeling.

"Sookie, Andre is coming tonight. He is Queen Sophie-Anne's second in command, her trusted confidant, and the one who first came to tell me to find you and protect you," I said, and waited for her reaction.

The first thing that hit me was her rage and fear, both of them mingled together like serpents tangled in each other. That surprised me. I thought she'd only be scared.

"And you were going to tell me about this when?" she answered. Her voice was like ice. Her rage was directed at me. Just as well.

"I was going to tell you now. You had enough to worry about already and I made a decision not to worry you further. Besides, we're bonded. Once Andre sees that he will have to leave us be," I said, half believing it myself. He didn't _have_ to, but it would behoove the monarchy not to separate a blood bonded pair. It was a punishable crime, not to mention the scores of vampires who would oppose the Queen if she ever attempted it. She would lose her crown and possibly her life, but only if people knew about it.

I turned to Pam, ignoring Sookie for a moment. It was for her own good. "Get everybody in here. Tell them to be in this office when Andre arrives."

"Unbelievable. Nobody trusts me, not even with myself, not even the guy that's supposed to love me and wanna be with me, blah-di-blah," Sookie was pacing within a very small space, looking up at the ceiling.

"Sookie, I trust you. But _you_ have to trust _me_. I've been doing this for much longer. I do love you, I do want to be with you, and right now I'm keeping the promise that I made to you. What purpose would it have served to tell you sooner? Explain it to me," I said, standing my ground and trying to make her see reason.

She stopped pacing. She was still very angry, but also very afraid. It was her anger that spoke though. "What happens now?"

"Now I will have everyone, including Andre, witness our union," I walked past her to the large safe. I only locked it to keep out the humans.

I pulled out the ceremonial knife I had acquired as part of the ordaining course for the Church of the Ever Loving Spirit, which I did as part of my Sheriff duties. Sometimes I amazed myself. I could perform the ceremony to marry vampires. I knew what to do to make Andre understand, and by extension Sophie-Anne, that Sookie was my bonded. But more importantly, those who owed me fealty would witness it.

"Sookie, do you love me?" I asked her, coming closer to show her the knife. It was about six inches long, with a stainless steel blade and gold handle. It looked more like a dagger than a knife.

"Eric, you know I do. That's why you have the ability to make me crazy, and not in a good way," she said. That made me smile.

"Will you agree to marry me in front of other vampires? You would have to give me this," I showed her the knife, "and I would use it to give you my blood. I would have to take yours too."

"Like we did last night?" she shrieked.

"Yes. We would have to keep off each other until everybody left us, but yes."

She mumbled something about "too fast, too fast," and she was right. I had just thought about this, so it was happening fast. Perhaps I _should_ have told her earlier.

Sookie knelt in the middle of the floor where she had been pacing. She held her hand up to me, "I'm going to pray for a minute, and I really want God to listen, so just… back off."

Whatever she was saying to her God was making her feelings change. She was not as scared, or as angry. It felt like Pam's feelings when she was in battle mode: determination. That was the best way to describe it. Sookie stood up after about two minutes and turned to me.

"I prayed for my soul for wishing evil upon Hadley. I also asked my God to bless this union, since there's nobody of my faith who can do so," she said in a business-like way. She would forgive me, eventually. "Eric, I also want you to swear that you will always tell me right away if there's something wrong that I should know. Let me figure out how to deal with it on my own terms. In exchange I swear to you that if I need help, I will ask."

"I swear it, Sookie," I said, because that's what it would take to make her agree.

She nodded. This was Sookie the woman who did whatever needed to be done. This was the same Sookie who had fed me her blood to save me from an agonizing recovery. Now she was saving herself from a lifetime of servitude.

"What do I do?" she asked.

"The knife will be wrapped, and you will present it to me. You will know when to do it as it is a simple ceremony. I will cut my wrist in the same spot as last night, and you will drink from it. I will bite you just like last night. Then we kiss if you still want to kiss me," I said, feeling like she never would.

I rewrapped the knife and set it on my desk, closed the safe, and we waited for Pam.

**A/N: **Sorry about the cliffhanger. Y'all know I'm already writing the next installment furiously and determinedly. Please review to see how I did with Eric's POV. *Wipes brow*


	16. Something Old, Something New

**A/N: **We're back to Sookie's POV. As much as I enjoyed writing Eric (and I really did – he's the bestest, awesomest), this night is Sookie's for obvious reasons.

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**Chapter 16 – Something Old, Something New**

Eric was reading from a book at an amazing speed, and mumbling things to himself. I was a nervous wreck. We were really getting married. This was it. I mean, maybe not married in my world – the human world – but to me this was real enough. It didn't help that I'd been feeling Eric inside me all night and he was as much a wreck as I was but for different reasons. He was a little scared and a lot angry.

I'd always bemoaned the fact that I'd never get married, that nobody would ever marry me because I would be inside the man's head 24/7. Worse, he'd be inside mine. Every time he looked at another woman, or thought I was being obnoxious. And I can be obnoxious if I set my mind to it.

Somehow the awareness of Eric's feelings wasn't as bad as that, and it was easy to let them be part of the background. That's how come I hadn't noticed his fear and anger earlier. He'd kept them reeled in very well and had me thinking of other things. I'd been mad, but now I was just scared.

"Do you want to say vows? You'd have to come up with your own," he said.

"Do they have to be anything specific? I mean, I know the vows that are said at most weddings," I answered, not even knowing what I was saying. We were talking _vows_ for God's sake!

"Those will work perfect," he said reading some more from his book. I think he was just trying to be agreeable.

Now I was more of a mess, thinking that the "in sickness and in health" part didn't really apply when it came to vampires. Though, hadn't I seen him hurt and stood by him then? That could be considered sickness, right?

Indira zoomed into Eric's office. "Namaste, Eric. Namaste, Sookie," she said and bowed to us briefly, then took my hand.

A horrible growl ripped through Eric when she touched me. He was so stressed that he grew overprotective of me. He almost tackled her, but instead of getting defensive Indira bowed to him again.

"She cannot get married in black, Master Eric," she said.

Eric's growls quieted, and he nodded slowly. "I apologize," he said. I knew it had taken everything out of him to calm down and be reasonable.

Indira took me to the ladies' room, where she had a garment bag. "It's too short notice to get your gold dress, Pam said. But in Eric's time and in my own country, brides dress in bright colors," she explained as I was undressing and she was pulling yards and yards of red fabric with flower patterns woven in gold thread. "You and I seem to be of similar size. This will work."

I put on an embroidered shirt that matched the fabric and stopped mid-abdomen, a soft cotton petticoat, and then Indira started wrapping the yards of red around me. "I don't have anything to cover your head, as you should have, so we will have to make do with leaving your hair down." Once I was wearing the sari, she brushed my hair neatly behind my shoulders.

I could barely believe my own reflection. Me, Sookie Stackhouse from Bon Temps, dressed in fine soft silk and cotton from the Far East. This ensemble probably cost more than anything I could have found at David's Bridal. It fit with the fact that this was not a traditional marriage.

Something outside made her stiffen. "We will be right out, Master Eric," she said in her soft voice. I wondered how long he'd been standing there.

I could feel tears prickling my eyes, but I held them back as best I could. "Thank you, Indira. This is so kind of you."

"Sookie, you're so kind to everybody else. At some point it comes back to you," she said and patted my cheek with a smile before she led me out of the ladies'.

We headed to the main part of Fangtasia. There were about twenty vampires gathered around the dance floor, circling a table with a black tablecloth where Eric had set the knife, still wrapped in velvet. The bar was closed, as far as I could tell. All eyes were on me as Indira walked me to my husband-to-be, whose eyes had bugged out of his head when he saw me. There was love in that gaze; I could feel it as sure as I could feel my nervous heart fluttering in my chest. And then he smiled.

"God save me, I love him," I whispered to Indira. Although everybody in that room probably heard me.

We walked behind the table, where Eric was standing now wearing a black suit, looking as beautiful as ever with his hair in a low ponytail. As Indira placed my hands in his, I made a decision. I could be Sookie the scared little girl and wilting flower, or I could be Sookie the wife of a powerful vampire and the strong woman that Adele Stackhouse raised. I figured the latter would do better in this circumstance. Gran had always said a woman did what needed to be done, period, and to save myself from those who would have me I had to join my life to Eric's. Not a bad trade-off if you can get it.

Eric kissed the knuckles of my right hand, and the ring on my left hand, before turning to his people. "Thank you all for bearing witness to our union in marriage," he said in his deep voice, making it resonate through the bar. He turned back to me, piercing through me with his glacial blue eyes. I didn't dare move and I could barely breathe.

"I, Eric Northman, take you, Sookie Stackhouse, as my wife, to be bound to you by blood. Everything I have is now yours. There shall be one end for us both; one bond after our vows; nor shall our first love aimlessly perish. Happy am I to have won the joy of such a consort." Eric caressed my face softly, and I knew it was my turn.

I swallowed a lump in my throat and screwed in my courage. "I, Sookie Stackhouse, take you, Eric Northman, as my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all the days of my life."

Eric's eyes moved quickly from me to the knife and back to me. I unwrapped the knife and took it reverently in both hands, presenting it to Eric. Something inside him twitched. It was his fear, but I didn't think he was afraid of cutting himself or of exchanging blood with me. Something else was wrong. He proceeded quickly with the ceremony, and I felt a new sense of urgency. It was him. He was the one who wanted us to finish this quickly.

In a flash of motion he had slashed his wrist and presented it to me. I didn't waste any time and put my mouth over the wound. Just like the night before, the way I bent left my neck vulnerable. Eric caressed it before sinking his fangs. His euphoria was an obstacle I hadn't counted on. It transferred to me much easier this time, and I started getting drunk on his blood. Or maybe high. Either way I was blissfully unaware of anything but his blood in my mouth, and the way he was holding me tight against him. His lust flared and so did mine. This wouldn't be easy at all, particularly when I realized I was rubbing myself against him and he was doing the same thing against me.

I pulled away when the wound healed on his wrist. I had promised myself not to kiss him after the ceremony, since I was supposed to still be mad at him. But I'm weak, and when he said "your lips are bloody," I knew I was going to get kissed whether I wanted to or not. And I wanted to.

There we were, making out like high school kids in front of twenty vampires or so, who were all clapping and hooting. Well… this was more like a human wedding than I thought after all. Except for the blood-drinking part.

Eric let me go and turned us around to face the crowd. I was embarrassed but okay. At any other time I'd have said I was happy. I know Eric felt happy and looked triumphant. We'd done it: we had bonded and twenty vampires had witnessed it. They would spread the news and soon everyone in the vampire world would know about us.

We sat at the thrones, Eric making a big deal out of my sitting in his usual chair to his right. As soon as we sat down the noise died down and a sea of vampires parted to make room for three newcomers. Everyone bowed deeply as two teenagers and an older blonde walked forward.

If I hadn't been so shocked to see her, I would have pummeled her. The older blonde was my cousin Hadley. That could only mean one thing: the teenage girl was none other than Queen Sophie-Anne, and the teenage boy must have been Andre. No wonder Eric wanted to move things along. He knew they were here. They looked to be no older than sixteen, although they were wearing sober clothing worthy of Wall Street. It must have been tailor made. There was no way that they carried those types of clothes at the Juniors' section of Penney's.

"Eric," Queen Sophie-Anne said once she reached us. Her eyes were green and intense.

"Your Majesty," Eric said, not standing up but bowing his head. I guessed it wasn't customary for him to stand and bow to her during his own wedding.

"I suppose my invitation got lost in the mail," she said and gave him a tiny smile. I wasn't sure if she was getting ready to attack him or if she was impressed by Eric's craftiness.

Eric's feelings were steady as he regarded her. His hand squeezed mine softly, letting me know that (for now) everything was well. "We blood bonded last night, but we decided that my people should have celebrated our union with us. It was only fair that they know as soon as possible."

I looked past the kids at Hadley. She looked remarkably well, older than I remembered her but otherwise fine. Other than the fact that she was very pale, as all vampires are, she looked healthy. I wondered if she _had_ been healthy when she was turned. She was looking down at the floor. She knew what her big mouth had done.

Queen Sophie-Anne turned her attention to me and held out her hand. "I am Sophie-Anne Leclerq, Queen of Louisiana."

I took her hand and shook it like the robust woman that I am. "Sookie Stackhouse Northman. My pleasure." There was a surge of pride coming from Eric's side. Adding his name to mine had been the right thing to do in front of Sophie-Anne. Not that I was going to the Department of Motor Vehicles anytime soon.

"Your choice of wedding dress is unusual, though quite beautiful," she said.

It wasn't unusual for people from India to dress the way I was for their weddings, but I decided that was not the right thing to say to Sophie-Anne. "Thank you, Your Majesty is very kind," I said instead, remembering she was a queen.

"Have you ever been to New Orleans?" she asked. Was she making small talk? No. The Queen of Louisiana would not be making small talk. There was something behind this question.

"Only once, Ma'am." It had been a horrible excursion during high school, with thirty other teenagers, enclosed inside a small stuffy bus with all their thoughts assaulting my mind about anything from needing to use the bathroom, to wanting to have sex in the backseat. For hours upon hours.

"Then you will have to visit again. Perhaps for your honeymoon?" the Queen smiled beatifically. _Shit! We're in so much trouble._

"We will have to find the time, Your Majesty," Eric said, answering the question and getting me off the hook. "The holidays are approaching and that is the busiest time of year for us here at Fangtasia," he explained.

"Of course. We will arrange it for the new year," she said. "I will leave you. I believe your cousin would like to greet you." And with that she went to the bar where Chow was handing out drinks.

Hadley approached and Eric went on the defensive again, growling at her louder the closer she got. He leaned over, slowly making it out of his chair to get in front of me, shielding me. I rolled my eyes. This was going to get old quick. I peeked around him to see if there was something that would give me a clue as to why he was being so protective. When her eyes met mine they were void of all emotion and her fangs ran out fully.

"Hadley!" I heard Queen Sophie-Anne yell at her.

That did nothing to deter my cousin, who launched herself at Eric to get to me. The resounding boom of two super vampire bodies clashing was deafening. Pam and Indira were by my side immediately, fangs out and ready to attack anybody else that came close.

Eric held Hadley by the throat, waiting for Andre who pulled her and carried her out the door. She wailed and snarled all the way out.

Sophie-Anne approached us looking apologetic, at least. "I'm sorry, Eric, Sookie. Hadley said she would be able to control herself if she saw you. But she's too new and you smell too good," she said looking at me with hungry eyes. "As a matter of fact you remind me of Hadley's own scent. It must be a genetic quirk," she turned her green gaze to Eric. "We will talk," and with that she left too.

Everyone settled immediately, including Pam and Idira, who knew better than to get too close to me while Eric was stressed. The only thing that didn't settle right away was my poor little heart. I was sure every single vampire inside that bar could hear it.

"Are you alright?" Eric asked me, getting down on one knee beside me to inspect me, though I hadn't been touched.

"I'm okay. I'll be okay. Give me a minute," I said. Pam brought me a glass of water and I gulped it noisily.

Eric took the glass from me when it was empty. "Do you need more?" he asked. I shook my head. "I believe it's customary for us to dance at our wedding. Would you like to dance with me?"

I hadn't noticed the music at all. I accepted his hand, simply because it would do no good for me to remain seated and brood on what had happened. I calmed down during our first dance, enough to enjoy the second.

"Put your feet on mine, Sookie," Eric whispered in my ear before kissing my neck where he had bitten me. I was sure the marks were gone by now.

When my feet where on his (and I was worrying about scuffing his shoes), he tightened his hold on my waist and up we went. We'd never flown together, and now we weren't only flying, we were dancing in midair. He whirled us about, and I threw my head back to let the wind catch my hair. I was smiling and laughing like a little kid. Brownie points for the vampire who took my mind off things by taking me flying.

I felt Eric's kisses on the exposed skin of my chest, and I straightened so I could claim those kisses on my mouth. I had so many questions to ask him, but at that moment I forgot them all.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

We didn't make it to the bedroom. We were on each other as soon as the Corvette was parked inside the garage. But there was no way for me to do anything much because the six yards of fabric around me were binding my legs tight. Somehow we made it to the kitchen, and Eric unwrapped me like a present, doing away with my underwear while he was at it. He lifted me easily onto the white tile counter, letting his pants fall to his ankles, opened me wide and entered me. I almost came right then. In fact, I came only after a few strokes. It didn't take me long at all with his slow steady pace and his thumb stroking my little nub softly.

On the way home he explained that his blood in me was making me hornier. Okay, whatever, I just wanted him. I wasn't horny for anybody else. I wanted to make love to my husband. Although… this was raw passionate sex.

Eric guided my ankles to rest on his shoulders and then leaned forward, holding my shoulders so I wouldn't slide. I felt like a very naughty pretzel. Right as I was about to come again, he bit my right ankle. When he sucked it felt like he was pulling from my very center, and I was enveloped in a sweet cocoon of purple euphoria, partly his and partly mine.

He left the clothes in the kitchen and carried me upstairs. He was in a bath-taking mood, and I was in a mood to agree to whatever he wanted.

"You're my wife now," he said, almost reverently as we sat in the warm water.

"Mmm-hmm. And you're my husband," I pointed out to him, just in case he'd forgotten this thing went two ways.

"That means everything that's mine is yours," he said. He was going to make me take something. I just knew it.

"Not legally," I said. I knew that wouldn't deter him, but I could try.

"Legally, I can make you the beneficiary of my whole estate, although I'll probably leave Pam with something," he said, ever the practical guy.

"Are you planning on leaving me so soon? We just got married today," I teased, but I was tense.

"I told you I'm not immortal. It is customary for married partners to plan for every eventuality. Back to my original thought, I think you should keep the Prius," I was about to say something to that, but he kept talking. "If you don't want it I'll buy you a new car. Do you want the Prius or a new car?"

Oh, jeez! I knew those would be my only choices. "I'll keep the Prius."

"As for your house I think it would be a good idea for us to spend our nights off there, and our working nights here. I like your house. It's cozy."

Well, that was nice of him. I was sure he was going to suggest I sell it or rent it out. "That arrangement sounds good to me. Um, Eric?"

"Yes, dear one."

"What happens now?"

"Now I bathe you so we can go to bed smelling clean and make love again."

"No, I mean with Sophie-Anne. Do we have to go to New Orleans?"

Eric didn't say anything for a few moments, either thinking about it or picking his words carefully. "We probably will, but only as a courtesy visit. We avoided a very bad turn of events tonight. I'm sure the reason she brought Hadley was to make you go with her to New Orleans, to keep you there."

"Are you in trouble?" I asked, fearing it would be him who incurred the wrath of the Queen.

"Not really. She'll probably be upset, but since I am a loyal subject, she'll probably think it's just as well that you're bonded to me. If she ever needs you for anything, I still have to go with you and have veto power. So you're safe, as safe as I could make you without disrupting your life too much."

"Too much? I'm illegally married to a vampire," I chuckled. "But I love you, so it feels less like an arranged marriage and more like a shotgun wedding." And speaking about shotgun weddings and babies, "I'll have to give away my kitten," I pouted.

"Bring her here," he offered.

"Nah… kitty litter," I reached behind me and touched his nose. I felt it scrunch. "She's a baby. Somebody will take her."

We remained silent while he washed me. I felt like returning the favor, so I turned around and knelt between his legs. I soaped his shoulders first, following the line of muscle down to his upper arms, then back up to his neck, back down to his forearms, which were rather close considering his hands were on my breasts. He was giving both my girls hungry looks. I lifted his chin up a little bit and his eyes followed up to meet mine. I planted a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth, then on the tip of his straight nose, on the soft cleft of his chin.

I reminded myself this marriage could not have been an easy decision for him either. He had every right to resent it as much as I did, but I knew he didn't. And I didn't either. Not really. I regretted how fast things had happened, but I liked to think that eventually we would have reached this place.

So I kissed him. I kissed Eric, my husband, and I felt his love and something more. It was deeper than love. His devotion.

**A/N: **Eric's words at the end of his vow are not mine (or his, for that matter). I found them at the Viking Answer Lady's website and this is where she attributes them: Saxo Grammaticus. Gesta Danorum. cited in Hilda R. Ellis-Davidson. The Road to Hel. Westport CT: Greenwood Press, 1943. pp. 53-54. I have learned a lot from her and I encourage everybody who loves Eric's Viking heritage to visit the website: .com

**HAPPY NEW YEAR!**


	17. Give

**A/N: **I wish y'all lots of joy and many blessings in 2011!

It's amazing the things I get accomplished when I'm off work. I read a book _and_ I wrote a new chapter. I highly recommend _Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble, a Paranormal Romance_ by H.P. Mallory, for those of you who like the genre and want a quick fun read.

This chapter is another of my famous lemon meringue pies. Enjoy! ;-)

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**Chapter 17 – Give**

I hadn't seen my friends in what felt like ages, so I decided to go grab lunch at Merlotte's and see what everybody was up to. Well, it would be more like breakfast, since I'd woken up so late in the morning.

Eric and I had spent a long time talking after our bath. He apologized for how quick the ceremony had been, and for not telling me about Andre's visit as soon as he could. "I don't often make mistakes," he'd said, as if explaining why it was hard for him to apologize.

I forgave him. Unless he had some kind of time-travel powers that I didn't know about, we couldn't go back and fix what had been done or how. So why keep thinking about it? I just let it go. I already had his promise that he would tell me things as soon as they happened.

When I arrived at Merlotte's I was greeted by many smiling faces. Even Arlene seemed to have gotten over her guilt about Rene and gave me a shy smile. Sam himself showed me to a table and took my order, when he brought it out he sat with me while I ate.

"How are you, cher? You look happy," Sam said. He was eating some of my French fries.

"I am; I'm really good. How are things here?"

"No, no, no. You first," Sam insisted.

"I don't even know where to begin," I mumbled looking down at my food. Should I even tell him I was married now? I just didn't think that would go over well. But it was my news, and Eric was the reason I looked happy.

"Why don't you tell me about what happened last night?" he asked in a very low voice.

I was surprised, to say the least. How did Sam know? Was he friends with a vampire?

"Don't look so shocked, Sookie. Word travels fast in the supe world, particularly when somebody one-ups a queen. Eric has gall, I'll admit," Sam said, patting my hand on the table.

"It was last minute," I blurted out, thinking that maybe I should have invited Sam, at least.

"It's okay. I know what happened. I just want you to tell me about it. How did it come about? Start at the beginning," Sam said. His smile was encouraging, and I didn't want to dip into his mind to see if it was genuine.

I looked around briefly only to find that no one was paying much attention to us. The place was hopping with the lunch crowd, and all the waitresses were busy. I lowered my voice and told Sam about Andre checking up on Eric's progress, about Eric's sudden fear that nobody knew we were blood bonded and his idea to make his people witnesses of our union.

"We started the ceremony very close to eight, and Andre was due any minute, so Eric had to rush through everything. It was a good thing too, because the Queen showed up with Hadley in tow," I explained.

Sam made a hissing noise. "Isn't Hadley a brand new vampire?"

"Yes, she almost attacked me. She threw herself at Eric to get to me. Eric said the Queen had brought Hadley to make me go with them to New Orleans. He didn't want to go into specifics, probably trying to save me a fright, but I can only imagine they would have talked me into going by threatening to hurt Hadley." I shook my head sadly. Hadley had suffered so much already in her life. "It would have worked," I confessed.

"It would have been her own fault," Sam said, sounding a little judgmental in my opinion.

"I wouldn't be so sure," I said. Only I knew Hadley's history, and only I knew the damage that had been done, and by whom. "Anyway, Eric told me she'll be fine. The Queen isn't known for being a sadist to her own children."

There was a brief pause. I saw Sam's eyes alight on my ring. "I can barely believe it, Sookie. But I guess it was inevitable. You could only be with someone whose mind wasn't inside yours all the time, so your choices were limited."

I shrugged, feeling a little shy. Sam understood my quirk better than most because he had cared more than most. Not even my brother could say that. Speaking of whom, here came the little twerp.

"Sam," I called his attention back to me. He'd seen Jason come in with the rest of Jason's road crew. "If he starts anything stupid, you're more than welcomed to get the bat out."

Sam gave me a sad half smile, but nodded. "Maybe you two should speak and clear the air here, where he's less likely to make a scene."

"Maybe," I said, taking a deep breath as I said the word.

"Sookie?" I looked up to find Jason standing right next to our table. His was wringing his hands, nervous. He actually looked apologetic.

Sam stood up and thumped his hand on Jason's shoulders, as if encouraging him to sit in the just-vacated seat. It was a hard thump. "I'll bring you something," he said to Jason, and left.

Jason sat in front of me, folding and unfolding his hands on the table, and his eyes on them rather than on me. "I'm very sorry about yesterday. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I know you'd never do anything like… like what I accused you of doing." He couldn't bring himself to say it again. Just as well.

I shook my head. "Jason," I sighed. "You're the only family I have, and I'm the only family you have. That's it. Everyone else is gone, except for Hadley who…" I stopped talking. I had to tell him about last night. "I saw her last night."

"Isn't she a vampire?" he asked, perplexed.

"Yes, she is, and for now she's very dangerous. She's only been a vampire for less than a month and she tried to attack me. It might take a whole year for her to be able to control herself. So even though we know where she is, we can't make her part of our family. It's just us." I took a sip from my Coke, finding that my throat had gone very, very dry suddenly. Seeing Hadley so feral had done a number on me.

"There's Uncle Bartlett," he said in a very low voice.

"Who only by the grace of God still wastes oxygen on this Earth. I don't wanna talk about him." Jason nodded. The subject was closed. "Eric and I are very close, and he is a very important part of my life. He isn't giving me things just because. We love each other."

I must have made some kind of motion with my left hand that grabbed Jason's eyes to look at the ring there. "I see," he took a deep breath, as if bracing himself. "Are you engaged to him?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes. We can't get married, so we've taken it as far as we can go without breaking the law," I answered, almost defiantly, although I was trying very hard not to raise my voice.

Jason nodded, understanding. "He asked you to marry him, then? He's that serious about you."

That was the understatement of the century. But I couldn't tell my brother that Eric and I really _were_ married. I hated to think it, but I didn't trust him. Not yet. Sam was more apt to keep the secret, since he had secrets of his own.

"Eric and I are as serious about our relationship as we can possibly be. If we could marry in a court of law we would," I said, then softened my tone. "Don't worry about me, okay? Eric is powerful, but he treats me right." Now I was speaking Jason's language.

Sam appeared at our table with food and a drink for Jason, and then thumped him a couple of times on his shoulder before leaving us again. I understood the gesture: it was warm and friendly, and at the same time it said "I can beat you up in a nanosecond." I smiled at Sam's retreating figure.

"I'd hoped someday you'd pick Sam or Hoyt," Jason said before taking a bite from his burger.

"I wouldn't be able to be with them," I said to Jason for the umpteenth time in our lives. Somehow he always failed to grasp how bad it was for me to listen to others' minds, or that whenever I touched someone it was imperative that I listen. I'd never attempted having sex with anybody because kissing had been bad enough. Jason knew this, but he forgot, or else didn't care.

"Jason, I have to ask you a favor," I said. If Jason agreed to this one thing, he could (maybe) start redeeming himself as a brother.

"What's that?" he said, almost enthusiastic.

"I have a kitten that needs a new home. Can you take her? She's very loving and girls like it when you care for pets," I said, appealing to his inner Casanova.

He thought about it briefly. "Is she potty trained?"

"She's a cat Jason, so she's litter trained," I rolled my eyes.

"Why are you giving her away?" he asked. It was a fair question. Maybe Tina had shredded my curtains or peed on the rug.

"I'm dating a vampire. All vampires have an incredibly acute sense of smell. I can't keep the kitty litter clean enough. To Eric it's always going to smell," I explained, telling him the truth.

"I'll come get her. Can I come over after work?" he asked.

I was actually feeling like my spirits were lifting. Of course, I hadn't asked Jason for a kidney. We'd both grown up with cats around the house. "Yeah, sure. I have to go to Monroe, but I should be back by the time you're off."

Lafayette joined me after Jason was done with his lunch. I was done with mine too, of course, but Lafayette's break didn't start until after the lunch rush. The waitresses joined in too, Holly and Charlsie, and Arlene sort of hung around close, still too embarrassed to actually speak to me.

"So you're dating that tall, light, and gorgeous vampire, huh?" Lafayette asked and winked. His smile said it all.

"Yes, although dating isn't accurate. We're a little bit closer than that," I said, and I knew I was blushing.

Lafayette's eyes turned sultry, while the girls' eyes went wide in shock. I liked Lafayette's reaction better, even if he was thinking of my Eric in less than innocent ways.

"Wait," Charlsie held up her hands. She looked confused. "Is this the same guy who came here during your good-luck party?"

"Yep! That's the one," I answered, and couldn't help the smile that parted my lips. He'd been mad that evening, and must have looked menacing to anyone but me. That's 'cause I had been an idiot.

"Yum!" Lafayette piped up. "Do you have a picture? Talk about eye candy."

"Oh, you!" I waved my hand at him. I searched in my purse for my phone. I'd taken a picture of Eric to identify his phone calls. It didn't take much persuasion to have him pose. He was vain enough.

"Whooo!" Lafayette fanned himself when he saw the picture. In it Eric had given me one of his most seductive smiles. My phone didn't take very bright pictures except in daylight, which actually worked to Eric's advantage. His skin was so light that a flashlight (or any bright light) would have washed him out. Instead, he looked almost tanned, and his blue eyes looked dark and sultry.

"Is that the same guy?" Holly asked, looking at the picture with hungry eyes.

"That's Eric," I said, enjoying the fact that others found him attractive too. I wasn't the only fool, after all.

We spoke a little bit longer about me, and then Lafayette told us a story about a party he'd gone to, a "naughty" party (his word, not mine). He said he'd changed everybody's name to protect the guilty.

I left Merlotte's at close to two in the afternoon, and made the drive to Monroe. I was a girl on a shopping mission. If Eric was going to get me ruby earrings, a ring, and a car, he was going to get the only thing I could get him with any sort of confidence: clothes.

Nordstrom's was not very busy in the middle of an early Wednesday afternoon. I made a bee line for the men's section and quickly garnered the attention of an overeager salesman. Perfect. I really did need help, and I had a little money to spend… the money I had been putting away for a car now had a new purpose.

The salesman helped me pick out several outfits. I knew Eric was a casual guy, so all the outfits were of the polo-shirt-and-jeans persuasion, plus a couple of sweaters because the weather was turning cool. When I reached my limit, the salesman checked me out then walked me to Customer Service where, he told me, they'd wrap everything for me.

A very tall woman greeted me with a huge smile. To say she was statuesque was an understatement. She must have been about six feet tall, slender but curvy in the right places, and her long black hair shone as if she'd just had it done at the hair salon. Maybe she had. But what made me take the most notice, besides how incredibly beautiful she was – her skin looked as soft as a ripe plum – was how incredibly friendly she was.

"Is this for a birthday?" she asked, her smile never wavering, not even a little bit.

The smile was contagious. "Not really, but it is for a special occasion. Can you make them really pretty?"

"Of course! Lots of ribbons and curlicues on a really bright paper, coming up!" she announced.

I watched her work quickly, cutting the prices off, putting everything in boxes lined with tissue paper, and wrapping everything in several colors. Then came the painstaking process of ribbons. She called it the "ribbonization." She'd been talking the whole time she was wrapping. She had ascertained this was for my boyfriend, and how lucky my boyfriend was to have such a thoughtful girlfriend, and the upcoming sales, and what was I doing for Halloween.

"We have a big party where I work," I said genially. I almost felt like I could tell her anything.

"That's great! Where do you work?"

"I work at Fangtasia, a vampire bar in Shreveport."

"I know it well, though I've never been. I'm sure they do all kinds of crazy stuff for Halloween."

"This is going to be my first Halloween working there, so I'm a little excited. Are you doing something interesting for Halloween?" I asked, wondering what someone as gregarious as her would be doing.

"My brother and sister work at a club in Shreveport, Houlihan's, have you heard of it?" she asked.

"Oh, um, yes I have," I said, taken aback. Every single girl I knew had mentioned it because that's where girls went to watch men strip. "Your sister doesn't…?"

"Strip? No! Just my brother Claude. Claudette works at the door, and I'm the cheering section," she said with a smile. I suddenly had the urge to look at her nametag: Claudine. Well, whatdayaknow? Their parents mustn't have had great imaginations when it came to names… unless their mother was named Claudia and their father Claudius.

"What's your name?" she asked when she noticed me looking at her nametag.

"Sookie Stackhouse," I said, smiling shyly at getting caught.

"Claudine Crane," she extended her hand over the counter, and it felt rude not to shake it. She'd been so nice.

Her hand was as soft as any vampire's, though warm like mine, and something unexpected: I couldn't read her thoughts at all. I'd have to think about that later.

Claudine put all my purchases in several bags and happily told me to please come again. I'd never seen anyone be so sincere making the same statement. I thought I might only shop at Nordstrom's from now on.

I stopped at the market and bought groceries for my house. I was in the sudden mood for leafy greens, a thick cut of red meat, and cookies. I really wanted homemade cookies. Eric was meeting me at my house in the evening, so I had plenty of time to cook and eat. I started making a batch of cookies right away, figuring I could send some home with Jason too. He loved homemade cookies as much as I did. I mean, who doesn't?

"Sookie's cookies," I hummed to myself. It had started with Gran, and Eric had liked it. Good idea for a business name.

I was in the middle of packing Tina's things when Jason arrived. He took one look at the kitten and was a goner. Leave it to Jason to like any and all females, no matter the species.

"You wanna live with me? Huh? You wanna make my girlfriends jealous? Yes you do," he said, in baby talk. Worse than baby talk: pet talk. "She's cute. Where did you find her?"

"She found me one night, right outside the house. I haven't taken her to the vet yet, but I have the money for the immunizations and the spaying. I'll give it to you," I offered.

"Nah! I'll take care of it. I have a friend that works at the Petsmart in Monroe and they have that vet clinic there," he said. Knowing Jason, this sentence translated to something like "there's a girl who works at the Petsmart who has yet to be taken by my charms, and seeing me there with my baby kitty will make her go gaga for me." Or something like that.

Jason went upstairs to grab the kitty carrier we'd had forever stored away. I gave him everything I'd gotten for my kitty, watching Tina as she had already made friends with Jason. She was climbing up his pant leg, and I knew he would be good to her, judging by the fact that he simply allowed it while he was putting the carrier together. I pried her loose when she got too close to his thigh.

"Come here, silly butt. I'll come visit you," I said, and smelled her kitty scent. It was musky, like Eric had said, but with Eric's blood I could smell so much more on her, none of which I could decipher.

"All set," Jason announced and I put her in the carrier. She started playing with a toy mouse Jason had put in there.

"I made cookies, do you want some?" I asked, not really waiting for his answer. I'd already wrapped up several for him to take home.

"Sookie, you're still nice to me after everything?" he asked. To his credit he sounded very ashamed.

"You're my brother. Let's just move past and look forward. We're going to need each other when we're old," I said and forced a smile.

Jason left and I cooked my dinner. I left my steak medium rare, but steamed my spinach. I was ravenous. I knew Eric didn't take much blood when he fed, but he still did. Maybe that's why I was hungrier than ever. I knew Eric was on his way because I'd felt him when he woke. I hadn't been anxious, but it was still a comfort to feel him, like a soft hum in the background where all there had been was silence. I felt his happiness some time later, so he must have been close. Halfway through eating my dinner I felt his overwhelming love and lust, so I wasn't surprised when he used the key I'd given him to open the back door.

I was already on my feet when the door swung open, and when he crouched and opened his arms to me I took it as an invitation. I ran, giddy as a teenager, and he caught me and swung me around as easy as you please. His smile was radiant, which earned himself several kisses all over his beautiful face.

"I missed you," he said, hugging me tight.

"You were sleeping, silly," I said, smoothing his hair back the way I'd found it.

He set my feet on the floor and looked up beyond me. "I interrupted your dinner, come on." He turned me around and made me walk back to my seat, pulling it out and having me sit right back. I would have objected, knowing he needed a True Blood at least, but I was too hungry.

Eric helped himself to a True Blood and even heated it up like a pro, then joined me at the table. "How was your day?"

I told him everything about Merlotte's, how Jason and I made our peace, and that he'd stopped by and gotten Tina to keep her. I told him I'd gone to the market, but completely avoided telling him about my other shopping trip. That was a surprise for later.

"I thought I smelled something sweet as I walked in," he said, peering at the cookies I'd made, or what was left of them. "Sookie's cookies, yes?"

Sometimes Eric spoke as if he hadn't spoken English for very long. I chuckled. "Yes. You really like that name, huh?"

"Ever since your grandmother dubbed them that way. I think it's a great name for a business," he was smiling widely. Uh-oh.

"I don't think I could make that many cookies," I said, nipping that thought in the bud.

Eric shrugged. Like he knew anything about food anyway. "Movie night tonight? I brought several." He reached into his cargo pants' pockets and pulled six DVD's total. "I wasn't sure what you were in the mood for, so I brought _Spaceballs_, _My Big Fat Greek Wedding_, _Avatar_, _The 300_, _The Birdcage_, and _Mr. Roberts_."

I looked at the movies on the table. I had no problem with a movie night in my house. I wasn't ready to share him with anybody else yet. "I think _My Big Fat Greek Wedding_ is appropriate. Can we watch that one?" I was laughing, imagining if there ever would be a movie named _My Big Fat Vampire Wedding_, complete with manipulating vampire queens, and flying couples on the dance floor.

"Of course. It's lady's choice tonight," he said, and waggled his eyebrows. The talk of lady's choice made me think of Claudine's brother and of Claudine herself. But if I brought up the subject now I'd ruin my own surprise.

I polished off my plate and washed it quickly. I really, really wanted him to open his presents. "I have a surprise for you. Let's go to the living room and we can watch the movie after my surprise."

Eric let me lead him through the long hallway to the front of the house and the living room. I made him sit on the sofa. "I'll be right back," I said, and ran away. I returned with all the pretty boxes precariously balanced on my arms and set them on the coffee table.

Eric's face was priceless. "Sookie… what did you do?" he asked. If he hadn't been a vampire I'd have said he was breathless.

"I don't know when your birthday is, but you must have one, so this is a belated birthday present," I said, almost hopping wanting him to open the presents. Okay… _Now_ I knew what he'd felt like when he waited for me to open the box with my ring.

"A morning gift," he said, still astonished, looking at the packages.

"Huh?" I asked, none too eloquently.

"I can't believe I forgot your morning gift, but you didn't forget mine."

"Eric," I said his name in a warning tone. "I don't know what you're talking about, but may I remind you that you gave me a car last night? Besides, it's night. Can you please open your presents?"

He looked up. "You got these for me?"

I hit my head with the heel of my hand. "Yes, honey. They're for you. Is there any way I can persuade you to open your presents some time tonight?"

Eric smiled and nodded, sitting back on the sofa and patting his lap. I was being summoned. "Come here, my love."

I rolled my eyes. _Finally!_ At least I could hand them to him. I sat on his lap and grabbed a present, putting it on my lap. He didn't seem interested. Instead he drew me close, his huge hand moving my face so he could kiss me.

"Thank you," he murmured against my lips, and kissed me some more.

"Don't thank me yet," I said, pulling away. "Open them first."

"I haven't gotten a gift in a very long time."

"I'm about to take them away," I teased, shaking the box on my lap.

He smiled wide again and looked at it, at least. "It's so pretty. Do I just rip it?"

"Rip it," I encouraged.

He did. I held it in place and he ripped the paper easily. Shoot, if he could make smithereens out of my clothes, paper should have been nothing to him. This box contained a light blue cashmere sweater that I thought would look pretty with his eyes.

"This is beautiful, Sookie, but why?"

I held up the sweater to his shoulders. It seemed big enough. "Do you really need to ask me why I'm giving you presents?"

Eric hugged me tight, resting his face on my chest. "No, you don't," he said. I hugged him back. I wasn't sure what was going on. There was nothing but love coming through our bond, as far as I could tell.

Nope, I was wrong. I was hit broadside by an infinite sadness. It was as if somebody had punched me in the gut and I lost all my breath. I took a deep one quickly. _What the hell?_

"Eric? Honey?" I pulled his face up. His eyes were rimmed with blood and my heart sank. "What's wrong? Oh, my God! What's wrong?" I asked, thinking the worst, wiping his bloody tears with my fingers. I couldn't even fathom what the worst could possibly be at this point. A death sentence from the Queen?

"Nothing is wrong. Sookie, you've made me so happy," he paused.

I looked at him like he'd grown another head. "I'm not getting you any more presents if this is the way you're going to be." I felt my own tears prickling my eyes, and I was stopping them effectively until I blinked and they jumped from my eyes. "I didn't mean to make you cry. Now you're making me cry."

Eric smiled and laughed, pulling that ever-present handkerchief of his from a back pocket. He wiped my eyes first, then my bloody fingers, then his own eyes. "Let's open more presents, shall we?"

He opened the rest, enjoying ripping the paper a little too much. I think I ended up with ribbon and paper behind the couch, under it, in the fireplace, on top of the mantel. I was pretty sure there were pieces in the kitchen, even. He liked everything. I was proud and a half of myself.

We watched the movie sort of tangled around each other on the sofa. Eric was a great movie buddy, but sometimes the things he said or asked reminded me he wasn't just a regular guy. For one, he spoke Greek, though he wasn't Greek. Then I had to explain to him what a Bundt pan was so he could get the joke of the Bundt cake.

Later we watched _Mr. Roberts_, since I'd never seen it before, and I ended up hooting with laughter at the "Whooo did it?" line, when I found myself pinned to the sofa under a very large vampire.

"I love the way you laugh," he said, and his lust was pushing itself into me, bending me to its will.

Eric's lips on mine were soft at first, tasting me, exploring me as if it was our first time kissing. His tongue pried my mouth open gently, searching for mine, asking it to come out and play. I touched mine to his, tasting him too. We battled lazily, neither one of us claiming victory or admitting defeat. I shifted a little to wrap my legs around him. He rubbed his hardness against the ridge of my jeans, causing a sweet friction that made me respond immediately. I couldn't help the moan that escaped into his mouth. He responded with one of his own, and I thought I might come just from hearing him.

Eric's hips continued the motion they knew so well, pressing and releasing, his tongue mimicking the movement inside my mouth. I was so hot that when his hand found the bare skin of my belly I jerked at how cold it felt. His hand continued traveling under my shirt, up to my bra, tugging, releasing my breast and caressing the nipple with his thumb. His mouth left mine to lick the nipple through my shirt while he pinched it, making me gasp at the unexpected feeling.

He pushed my shirt up and off, pulling the bra down so he could taste my skin and drive me crazy with desire. "Please, Eric, please," I heard myself beg. I'd turned into a quivering mess of need.

"What's that, dear one? What do you want?" he asked from my breast, his voice deep and husky making the wetness between my legs spread into my panties. I felt so empty.

"I want you, Eric," I said, stating the obvious. With my legs still wrapped around him, he hugged me tight and stood up, walking to the bedroom with me stuck to him like a writhing barnacle.

As soon as I could I set my feet on the floor and reached for his T-shirt, pulling it off him with a little help. I was eye level to a perky pink nipple just begging for attention. I pulled Eric to me, nipping lightly at the nipple then licking it, doing to him what he liked to do to me. His own hands were busy undoing our pants, and once we were completely naked testing to see how ready I was for him.

I wrapped my hand around him, caressing the soft veined skin, and making Eric groan. I smiled to myself, feeling dizzy with power. I pushed him to the bed and knelt beside him. I wanted to taste him, to make him writhe at my attentions. I licked him like a lollipop before I put him in my mouth, enjoying all the soft noises coming from the top of the bed. What I didn't expect was him lifting my hips and moving me to straddle his face. He kissed me softly before his tongue started exploring me like only he could.

I was getting better at pleasuring him, and lasted much longer than a couple of minutes before my mouth protested and cramped. By then Eric had enough of not being inside me, and in a quick move he had me pinned under him again, holding my hands up above my head while he glided easily inside me.

"Oh, so warm," Eric said in my ear, making me shiver with his own cool breath. He licked and kissed my neck as he pumped inside me, stretching as he pushed deeper. I wrapped my legs around his hips, unable to think about anything but the way he filled me so completely, and how good it felt.

"Look at me, my love," his soft voice reminded me that he liked to look into my eyes while we made love. He let go of my hands and let me run my fingers through his hair, down his neck, running my nails lightly on his back. His face was wild and glorious, his fangs extended all the way and his eyes dark, everything that spoke of his want. He wanted me in every way.

"Bite me, Eric, please," I begged, offering my neck. I wanted to feel his euphoria inside me. Instead of my neck, he curled above me and lapped at my nipple lovingly, biting the breast at the same time that he closed his mouth around my nipple. I exploded into a thousand Sookies, each and every one of us writhing in ecstasy.

Eric's own orgasm was glorious. I was able to come back into myself to enjoy watching as this mighty man was overtaken, shouting words in a language I'd never heard, groaning and grunting with effort. In the end he collapsed on top of me, taking deep slow breaths at my neck and humming on the exhale.

I drifted into a half sleep, where everything I thought about turned into a dream. Claudine, the girl who'd helped me at Nordstrom's, turned into a Fairy Godmother helping me get dressed to go to the ball where Eric, the Prince, was waiting to dance with me. My Prius turned into a giant pumpkin carriage and Tina into a horse. I thought it was funny when the horse meowed and I started laughing.

"What's funny, Svanmeyja?" I heard Eric's soft voice.

"Tina meowed," I said, still giggling but coming out of my dream.

"She's a cat. I believe they do that," he said, laughing softly at me and kissing the top of my cheek. I was coming back slowly, but already felt that Eric had shifted his weight off me to lie beside me. He was looking down at me, propped up on one elbow, when I opened my eyes.

"She was a horse in my dream," I said. "What did you call me?" I asked frowning. I'd just realized he'd used a foreign word to address me.

"Svanmeyja. It means Swan Maiden, another name for a Valkyrie," he explained.

"I like it," I said, still looking up at him. His hair was a mess. I loved it. It made me wonder how messy mine was, but not enough to check.

"I have a gift for you too. It's out in the car. Do you want it?" he asked, his eyes sparkling.

I couldn't help it. I really did want to know what he was scheming now. "Okay. I need to use the bathroom anyway."

I took my time in the bathroom because, to my great chagrin, I'd started my period. I hadn't felt it come along, but then I figured that Eric's blood would have cured me of the cramping and bloating. Before Eric returned I grabbed stuff to get dressed for bed, took the quickest shower in history, and brushed my teeth.

Eric's face was more than disappointed when he saw me dressed. "What happened?"

"I, uh…" _Out with it, Sookie!_ "I just got my period," I mumbled embarrassed.

"So?"

I eyed him like he'd lost his mind. "So I'm bleeding from a non-wound," I explained slowly.

"Come here and look at your gift," he said, patting my side of the bed again. We'd claimed our favorite sides on both our beds. Mine was always the side closest to the bathroom.

"Did you go outside naked?" I asked, because he was certainly naked under my covers.

"Does it matter? Anybody who would have seen me would have enjoyed the view. I'm merely sharing," he smiled widely and winked.

"I don't feel like sharing," I pouted a little.

"Sookie… you live in the middle of nowhere. I believe an owl saw me. Perhaps a cricket."

"Fine. What's that?" I asked, looking behind him at a corner of what appeared to be a piece of paper.

It wasn't paper. It was a wall calendar: "Fangtasia Hunks: 12 Months of Your Favorite Vampires."

"It was Pam's idea. We had the pictures taken in July and we're going to start selling them during Halloween week. What do you think?" Eric asked.

I was speechless. I turned it around to look at the little summary of what the calendar contained, and there were twelve different tiny vampires looking back at me in different stages of undress. One of them was my husband.

"Can I open it?" I asked.

"It's yours."

I opened the plastic packaging and peeked at January. My breath caught. Eric's fine ass called to my eyes first. All I could see was one exposed cheek, but it was enough. He was leaning against a bed, one leg up on the mattress, the other still on the floor, and he was as naked in the picture as he was beside me. A fuzzy blanket had been strategically placed over Mr. Happy and his fellows. Eric's expression was seductive, and my mouth started watering on its own accord.

"Holy God in Heaven! And to think he's beside me…" I breathed out.

"You like it?"

"I do, though it won't function very well as a calendar if I can't bring myself to turn the page," I teased.

He chuckled. "It's not your morning gift, but I still meant to give it to you."

"What's a morning gift, anyway?"

"The gift we'd give each other the morning after our wedding. I can't believe I forgot," he mumbled the last part.

"Oh!" he meant if he was still a Viking. "Eric, honey, you gave me a car. I think that's gift enough."

He arched an eyebrow but dropped the subject. Knowing him, the subject would still be on his mind until he got me something. I should just get used to it.

TBC


	18. A Sorta Fairytale

**A/N:** There's a little bit of TMI in this chapter, but I figured _somebody_ needed to address the question of: how does a vampire handle a woman's time of the month? The SVM vampires would have more control than the Twilight ones, I suppose, but neither of the original authors says anything about it. How can that be? Here's my take, and I apologize in advance.

Also, behold the maenad: I'm going off canon after reading more about them, plus it works better in my story. Please bear with me.

As always, your reviews are the sunshine in my day, or night as the case may be. Every one of them is a dot of light in my little heaven. Now I'm waxing poetic.

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**Chapter 18 – A Sorta Fairytale**

I woke up disoriented, even though I was in my own bed. I looked around me and nothing seemed out of place. The only person missing was Eric from my bed. It was nearly four in the morning, so he was still awake. Maybe he was busy. He usually waited until I was asleep to see to business.

I got up to look for him, and found him pacing my living room with his cell phone to his ear. He opened his free arm, an invitation for a half hug, and I closed the distance. He wrapped his arm around me holding me close.

After a minute or so of silence, he said "Thank you," into the phone and hung up. He sat us on my couch and I leaned against his naked chest. At least he was wearing boxer shorts.

"I have a proposal for you," he said in his serious voice, the one I didn't really like.

"What is it?" I asked, trying not to sound defensive.

"The Sheriff of Area 6, in Dallas, has lost a nest mate and they're trying to find him. I think it would be advantageous for us to help him with your gift. It would show the Queen that we are not defying her, only that we wish to remain together." He paused. I knew he had more to say, so I didn't interrupt. "You don't have to do it if you don't want to, but if we do this I don't want you to do anything like what you attempted with Ginger. I'd be with you the whole time."

I nodded slowly, understanding. "We'd be going to Dallas?" I asked.

"Yes, but only for a couple of days so you can read a few people's minds. Hopefully we can give Stan a better idea of what happened to his nest mate."

"You really think I can help?" I asked, doubting myself for the first time ever.

Eric was quiet, thinking about it. "I don't know Sookie. Only you can know that. I told you the reason why we should do this. Whether you can find something useful or not, the gesture will engender some goodwill from the Queen. But I will not force you. If you decide not to go, then we will not go. I will respect your decision."

"Can I sleep on it?" I asked, not really wanting to make a decision yet, though I was leaning towards "yes." I would do anything to keep the Queen from coming after Eric. Besides, this was simple enough for me to do.

"Of course," he stood up and picked me up easily, cradling me against him. "Back to bed with you." Eric tucked me back in like a Sookie burrito with a side of Viking. "What woke you anyway?"

"I don't know," I said and yawned, trying to avert my face so that Eric wouldn't get a waft of very early morning breath. "Something didn't feel right. You must have been upset."

He harrumphed softly, confirming my suspicions. "Bill Compton was made Investigator of Area 5. That means I have to work closely with him. He's going to Dallas to help there, since we have no mysteries here. I cannot make up my mind whether I like that he's closer, so I can keep an eye on him, or if I'm upset that he can keep a better eye on you."

I turned within my cocoon and landed a soft kiss on his chest. I wasn't sure if it would cure his worry, but it was worth a shot. I felt his arms tighten around me, and I fell asleep again in two winks.

I woke up at eleven and set to work around the house, cleaning it now that I had the chance, and packing the things I was taking with me to Eric's house. He'd lent me his luggage, since I didn't have any. I was also giving serious thought to what he'd said the night before.

I knew Eric would respect my decision if I said no, but did I want to say no? The person asking for help was another sheriff, like Eric. If one of Eric's people went missing, wouldn't he want everybody's help in whichever capacity they could lend it? Plus there was the matter of getting back into the Queen's good graces. I didn't mind helping, as long as I didn't become someone's slave. Eric had already saved me from that fate.

I attended to a few things in town, like getting my favorite toiletries to take to Eric's, changing my address at the post office to a P.O. Box in Shreveport that Eric and I would share (it was just easier that way), and mailing bill payments including the taxes for the house and the insurance to cover it for the next six months. It would be the first time ever that those two bills were paid well before their due date. The money I'd been saving towards a new car paid for those things as well the clothes I'd bought for Eric. Even though Eric had given me extravagant gifts, the one that mattered most was peace of mind. For the first time ever I felt like I could breathe as far as finances were concerned.

I'd accomplished a lot by the time I had to start getting ready for work. I'd even gotten all the wrapping paper and ribbon in the trash. The house was spic and span.

In the middle of my shower I felt Eric come into awareness. Before I could think of much else I felt his cold hands on my breasts. He'd made it vampire fast out of his cubby hole and into my shower, catching me as I was rinsing my hair of shampoo.

I jumped. "Your hands are cold!"

"I'm warming them up," he said, and one of his hands started making its way south.

I jumped again and away from him. "No, Eric. I can't."

He looked confused. "What's the matter? Are you ill?"

"Not exactly," I mumbled. My period (Ugh! Double ugh and a half!) was in full swing. As if on cue, a little trail of red made its way down the drain. I thought I would die of embarrassment. I closed my eyes and turned around, flushing red pretty much everywhere.

"Not this again. Sookie," he turned me back to face him, "how old am I again? Remind me because I forgot. This is nothing."

I shrugged, refusing to open my eyes. I didn't care how old he was, this was mortifying, more so because he was a vampire. He pulled me close anyway and began running his hands all over my back in a soothing motion.

"I don't care. I don't care about your bad breath, I don't care that you need to use the bathroom, I don't care that your gut makes noises that you can't hear," I interrupted him with a groan and he chuckled, "I don't care about what your body does because it also houses the person that is Sookie, the one that I make love to and who makes love to me." He stopped his soft caresses on my back and pulled my chin up to face him. I opened my eyes, merely out of curiosity. His glacial blue eyes were nearly black, and his fangs were out fully. I wasn't sure if it was because of my blood or his desire, but he was definitely feeling lustful.

He caught a stray drop of water on my neck, licking it with just the tip of his tongue. I started tingling immediately. How did he have the ability to do that? He made go from embarrassed to horny in .2 seconds. It was no use. When he bent to lick my nipples in the same way, the rush of heat that flashed just below my navel made me forget pretty much everything else. I could feel him searching, probing, parting me with his slick fingers, making sure I was ready because I was about to be had, whether I wanted to or not. And, of course – as always – I wanted to.

It had to be his blood. I told myself this when he wrapped me around him, using the wall as leverage and diving into me with a loud growl. His blood made me want him so much, had to be. Eric was supporting my hips and thighs on his arms, and I held onto his neck, feeling the movement of his muscles and even getting turned on by _that_. He was inhaling the scent at my neck, exhaling out roars, plunging inside me as if we'd been apart for ages. I felt the moment when I was about to leave this world, called his name so he could join me, and felt the brief sting on his fangs on my neck before I went into my twilight galaxy.

When I came back he was still holding me tight, breathing our scent deeply. He enjoyed that most of all: both our scents mingled into one after sex. All I could smell was him.

I climbed down to help him shower, taking care to clean him everywhere. He watched me, looking subdued. Our bond was humming with happiness, even though now I was embarrassed for a different reason. I'd promised Eric I wouldn't run away from him again, and I almost had. Granted, I was still going to be in the same room, but the intent was there.

"I'm sorry," I said, my voice sounding like one of Cinderella's mice.

Eric tilted my chin up, bending to touch his lips to mine, brushing them tenderly. I always made the mistake of thinking Eric was a regular guy who loved me. I never seemed to catch on to the fact that Eric was my miracle come true. He forgave me just like that, without saying another word or caring about rubbing in that he was right and I was wrong.

Of course, all that went out the window when he gave me an envelope in the car and I almost had a conniption.

"What the hell, Eric?" I shrieked.

"You're my wife, Sookie, what's mine is yours," he said pointing at the piece of paper I was now reading using the little passenger light inside the Corvette.

It was a statement for a joint bank account he had set up. I'd never seen so many zeroes to the left of a period in my life. It almost made me sick, honestly.

"Do you think I'm with you for this? It's not enough to shower me with extravagant gifts, now you have to do this to me?" I was beside myself. "I'm really not _this_ good in bed." I threw the statement somewhere in the back seat and crossed my arms.

The car choked and sputtered, everything inside it going dark, like we'd been hit by an errant electro-magnetic pulse. Even I momentarily forgot what we were talking about. Eric coasted the car to the side of the road. Of the very dark road, actually, because we hadn't gotten on the interstate yet. We were still in rural Bon Temps, and not a street light in sight.

Eric was cursing under his breath, opening the hood and getting out. I got out too. I don't know much about cars, but I know enough. Eric began peering under the hood, and I really didn't know why. It seemed pretty simple to me.

"You done just blew the alternator," I said, still mad, as if the alternator was his fault. I knew it couldn't have been the battery or the car would still be working.

"Alright, Mistress Sookie! I don't have a spare alternator for my made-to-order Corvette! Come on, we'll fly back to your house and grab your car," he said, getting close to me.

"I'm not flying with you, Eric. I'll wait here. I'm too mad right now," I said, leaning against the car.

"Sookie," there was that warning tone.

Well, I hadn't been around vampires 24/7 during the past month and learned nothing. I gave him a scathing look and bared my teeth. It was like a kitten baring her teeth at a full grown lion, but whatever. It got my message across.

"Fine, suit yourself. I'll be back in ten minutes. Get inside the car!" he boomed, but I shrugged. He growled and flew into the air like he'd never been in front of me.

The leftover effects of Eric's blood were still working a little bit, so I could see in the dark better than usual. I wasn't about to say I had infrared vision or say that I was ready to go ghost hunting, but it wasn't too bad. I could see my nails enough to fidget with the cuticles. I saw a stray blond hair on the sleeve of my black dress and picked it out, then examined it. I wondered who it belonged to. In other words, I did everything but think about the piece of paper now lying somewhere inside the Corvette, making me the proud owner of what appeared to be a significant amount of Eric's wealth.

I couldn't fathom it. What would make him think I'd take it? What was next? "Stop working Sookie, you're my wife now"? Nu-uh. I wasn't having it. I'd already agreed to live with him, because that made sense. What in the world was I supposed to do with that much money? Keep house? We hadn't even talked about it, he just did it. That's what infuriated me the most. He hadn't taken my feelings or thoughts into account at all. My pride was hurt.

"Hello, blondie," I heard a female voice say from the woods right in front of me.

Immediately I cast out a wide net with my mind, driven in part by a spike in my adrenaline. There shouldn't have been anyone out here.

I didn't say anything to greet the woman who stepped from behind a tree, her dark hair wild and twisted with leaves and debris from the forest. She looked feral. Her dress, what was left of it, was stained with what appeared to be blood or mud, or maybe both. Her eyes shone like that of a cat's, grabbing whatever little bit of light and reflecting it back to me. Her brain told me she was severely "other," but I couldn't get a read of anything but colors. No intentions or feelings, no pictures. Right now the color was a sickly green. Something that I thought was part of her dress moved about her. It was a snake, moving over the woman as if it was making love to her. Something in the back of my head screamed "cottonmouth." _Holy shit!_

"You won't say hello?" the woman asked.

"Hello, who are you? Are you lost?" I asked, pretending she was just a woman in distress, though she was clearly not, not with a freaking cottonmouth hanging from her waist.

"I'm not lost, are you?"

"No. My car is broken, I'm waiting for a ride," I said, stating the obvious. No matter what she was, she could see what I was doing there. For one horrible second I thought that maybe she was the one who had made the car break down. Maybe there were "other" creatures that could produce EMP's. I didn't watch SyFy for nothing.

"And where are you going dressed so pretty?" the woman asked coming a couple of steps closer. She was still about fifteen feet away, and I wanted to keep it that way.

"I'm going to work," I answered, trying to decipher exactly how much I should say. Her brain had gone to something closer to pink.

"You work at a bar. I like liquor. It makes men pliable, it piques their pride. You must be very happy there," she said.

None of it was a question, but I nodded anyway. She smiled wide at my admission, making me press myself against the car. Not even a vampire looked that way after drinking blood. Her mouth was dark with old blood.

She approached me a little. She had a long stick in her hand. At the end of it she had a set of ivy leaves wrapped using the vines. I wondered if she was about to hit me with it or something.

"I won't harm you, little one. You're one of me. There's no need to be scared. I'm keeping you company until your ride arrives. You never know what's lurking in the shadows," she said and got as close as she could possibly get to me without invading my personal space.

"What's lurking in the shadows?" I asked, swallowing hard. I was searching the store of lore within my brain trying to come up with a name for her. Not a fairy, vampire or shape shifter. A pixie? A brownie? Oh, my God! A real banshee. Her brain had gone to purple, something soothing. It was as if she was trying really hard to not scare me.

"I've seen several things that should not happen to one of ours. I'm here to protect you. Don't worry about my pet, she's harmless," the woman said. I noticed she included me into her group, whatever she was, and she said her cottonmouth was harmless. Yeah, right! I hadn't lived around hunters all my life to think a cottonmouth was a Chihuahua.

"I'm a woman like you," I said carefully, trying to decipher what group she was grouping us in.

She looked at me in askance. "You can see my mind, I can feel you. You're not just a woman."

I'd had enough, but didn't want to make her mad. In my gentlest voice I asked her again. "Who are you? Do you have a name?"

"I have many names," she looked ecstatic that I'd asked. "I'm a maenad, a Bassarid, a member of the Thiasus. We serve Dionysus."

I was surprised. "Are you saying I'm a maenad?" I asked, not quite understanding what that was, though I'd heard the name before.

"No, you're my sister. I hear your car, child," the maenad said.

Well, shoot! I'd heard it too. Eric was tearing the road in my poor car. He must have felt my initial fear, though I had significantly calmed down by now.

Eric was out of the car before the car actually stopped, and in the mayhem of the Prius stopping itself using the Corvette, Eric lunging at the maenad, and the shrill shrieks of the creature, I was thrown to the ground. Time stopped when I felt a pair of fangs sinking into my ankle, and they did not belong to my beloved. I was more mad than fearful and screamed at the top of my lungs, staring at the cottonmouth still attached to my leg.

"Look what your carelessness has done, Viking," I heard the maenad hiss.

"Get your hands off her," Eric snarled. Someone was trying to pry the cottonmouth off my leg, but I couldn't care. The pain was excruciating.

"Sookie, hold on to me," I heard Eric say, but I couldn't hold on to anything. The pain in my leg was too much.

"Lick her leg, vampire, or she will hemorrhage," the maenad said in a calm voice.

"Go back to where you came from," he yelled at the top of his lungs. "Tuck your head into my chest," he said to me, not yelling but stressed.

I wasn't sure if I'd done it, the tucking thing, but I did feel a lot of air moving very rapidly around us. It nearly took my breath away. Figures; the first time Eric takes me flying for real and I'm writhing in agony, and mad at him too.

It barely took any time at all and we were in Eric's office. Either that or I had lost consciousness at some point. Both were plausible.

I must have lost time again, because I heard Pam's cool voice giving instructions, though I couldn't exactly make out what they were. She shook me. "What bit you?"

"Cottonmouth snake. Water moccasin," I whispered.

"Hemotoxic. She'll bleed out," Pam said. What was she? A zoologist all of a sudden? I pictured her in Steve Irwin-type clothes (may he rest in peace, God bless him), and started laughing but not for long. I was out of breath quickly.

"Unless you have antivenom somewhere, you better suck it out and give her your blood," Pam said matter-of-factly. She always got like that when she was stressed.

"I'm afraid of doing more damage," I heard Eric.

"I'm here," a shrill voice announced. I couldn't bring myself to open my eyes. I felt like somebody had hit me with sleepy dust. I chuckled again.

"She's in bad shape," the new voice said, and I felt a sharp sting at my ankle, which made me cry out and open my eyes.

Eric was knelt in front of me, and I was lying on the couch in his office. He was beside himself. I spared a sliver of thought to find he was raging with a tempest of plain old fear.

"Eric she needs human blood. She's lost too much. You can give her some of yours afterwards. In the meantime, close these wounds and I will return shortly," the shrill voice said.

Eric didn't move, merely pricked his finger on one of his fangs and reached down to my ankle. Every touch was like fire, and I cried out again. I'd only passed out once in my life, right after Rene had attacked me. Now I was about to do it again. My peripheral vision started blurring and blacking out, the room started spinning, and there was a loud buzzing sound within my ears. Then nothing.

**A/N: **Dum-dum-dum!


	19. A Sorta Fairytale Del Tva

**A/N: **I'm glad y'all liked the maenad as I wrote her. I discovered they're not bad women. I never understood why she picked on Sookie as a message for Eric, since they were nothing to each other (I'm thinking of the canon maenad).

I'm going back to Eric's POV since Sookie is unconscious. Spoilers for Book 10! Though I'm sure most of us have read it by now… but just in case.

**Del Två means Part Two in Swedish. Thank you Google Translate!**

**A tomte is a Scandinavian brownie. Thank you Wikipedia! I'm just a researching fool.**

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**Chapter 19 - A Sorta Fairtytale ****Del Två **

I watched Doctor Ludwig minister to Sookie. Her heart was faltering. Every time it skipped a beat it felt like my own heart wanted to pick up the slack, as impossible as that would be. I was pacing behind my desk to keep away from the doctor and let her do her work.

"Eric, she will be fine. She lost a lot of blood so she's dehydrated. As soon as she wakes up you can give her your blood," Doctor Ludwig said. She was a tomte, a brownie, though she looked more like a hobgoblin. Her short stature belied her strength and her gift of healing. At that moment she laid her hands on Sookie's chest and made her heart beat evenly, taking my main worry away.

"How long until she awakes?" I asked the tomte.

"That I have no way of telling. But I can tell you that the poison is gone from her body. She will recover," the doctor said. "I will remain until she does."

I nodded my thanks, glancing at my computer screen. Pam had been researching snakes and had left the page open to information about the cottonmouth snake. "Hemotoxic," she had said, meaning it hampered the coagulation of blood. No wonder the creature had told me to lick Sookie's wound.

Pam snuck her head through the door without knocking. I felt her worry. "How is she?"

"Better. Doctor Ludwig has seen to it that there is no more poison in her body," I explained to my child, though it didn't alleviate her worry at all.

"Why is she still unconscious?" she asked.

Doctor Ludwig answered for me. "She suffered a shock and needs to recover. She will be fine." She was curt with Pam, but her bedside manner was better. She had been monitoring Sookie very carefully since she had arrived.

"Bill is here," Pam said, returning to her usual tone.

"Send him in," I said, deciding not to sit. I doubted Bill would attack Sookie, but I needed to make sure he understood who was his master.

"Eric," Bill said in that awful accent of his. While Sookie spoke in pretty southern cadences, Bill's accent was now a jumble from everywhere in the United States. I wished he would just settle for one of them.

"I want you to go and find the creature that attacked Sookie, find out what she is and what she's doing here. And while you're at it check our cars, have them towed to a body shop and get someone to retrieve the contents and bring them here." I paused, waiting for some kind of rebuke.

"Yes, Eric. I would like to ask Sookie some questions when she is alert enough. It will help with my investigation. In the meantime I will see to your vehicles," he nodded and left.

I would let him talk to Sookie. What other choice did I have? He was the fucking investigator. Now I wasn't sure if he was working for Sophie-Anne or the King of Arkansas. I was leaning towards the latter, since Arkansas was courting Sophie-Anne's attentions. More like her wealth.

Doctor Ludwig was mumbling something under her breath in a different language. It sounded Celtic, but I couldn't be sure. Of all the languages I'd learned, that wasn't one of them. At the end of her incantation she looked up.

"She is beginning to wake. Come sit beside her," she ordered.

Talk about doctor's orders. I sat on the couch next to Sookie intent on her face, holding the hand that did not have the IV needle in it. The lure of her blood had been extinguished by my worry. Doctor Ludwig had already replaced two pints of blood, and a third pint was hanging from a portable IV pole.

Sookie's eyes fluttered open but didn't focus and closed again. I quickly looked at the doctor who nodded, as if this was normal. This wasn't normal, and I felt incredibly guilty by what happened, though I'd had no way of knowing it would happen to begin with. I'd left her on the side of the road instead of taking her with me. I was strong enough to have subdued her if she had given me any problems. The truth was I hated forcing her. She'd been mad enough already.

And why was that, anyway? Obviously our conversation about the bank account wasn't over. I could not understand why she had rejected it. She didn't even give me a reason. I had thought she was coming around to understand what she was to me, our relationship, but obviously I'd been mistaken.

I felt Sookie's fingers tighten their hold on my hand. "Eric?" Her voice came out raspy. "I'm thirsty."

I looked at Doctor Ludwig asking her the silent question. The doctor nodded. It was time to give Sookie my blood. "You will drink my blood first and then some water."

Sookie opened her eyes a little and she nodded without protest. Doctor Ludwig left us alone while I propped Sookie up and sat behind her. She winced briefly but then sagged into me. I pierced my wrist, anticipating the arousal of watching her drink my blood. It was not a conscious decision to pull her skirt up and touch her as she drank. I couldn't keep my eyes off her mouth on my wrist, as I started rubbing my cock against her back. I reached inside her panties to touch the little pearl of her pleasure, making her moan. My favorite sound in the world.

Sookie started drinking slowly, becoming greedier as her strength returned. She pushed her hips against my hand, sending her lust to me. I kissed her neck and sucked it, tasting the tiny bit of blood that colored the underside of her skin. Her blood called and I answered with a growl. I was doing my damndest not to bite. Instead I kept rubbing my erection against her, my body always anxious to have her.

She came with a sigh at the same time as me, staining my pants with what ought to have been inside her. No matter. She was already looking better, and that's what counted. Sookie reached for the hand still inside her panties, pulling it out and threading her fingers into mine. Her skirt fell back to cover her.

Doctor Ludwig came back into my office after several minutes with bottled water for Sookie. I felt Sookie's apprehension at the sight of the tomte. She was too polite to ask the question that must have been burning in her mind. She was probably thinking that Doctor Ludwig was a hobbit.

"Hello, Sookie. I am Doctor Ludwig," she handed Sookie the water. "How are you feeling?"

Sookie took a few gulps of water before answering. "Much better than before I passed out," she said, catching her breath after drinking so much.

"Do you remember what happened?" the doctor asked.

"Yes," Sookie said carefully. "I remember the woman by the side of the road, and I remember the cottonmouth biting me." She looked down at her ankle. The bites were already disappearing, and the skin around them was returning to its natural color.

"Then you will be fine, but I still want you to take the last of that pint of blood. Eric, do not take her blood for at least two days. I know you have healed her, but her body still needs some time," the doctor said and waited for me to nod. "I will wait outside while you talk to your investigator. By the time you are finished talking to him the transfusion should be complete." Doctor Ludwig turned and left.

Pam came in without knocking, again. "Thank God! You look better Sookie." She paused, smelling the air. Her fangs ran out and Sookie covered her eyes mortified. "What have you two been doing?"

"Nothing," I barked. "Go tell Bill to be here in five minutes."

"Yes, Master," Pam said, smiling like a fucking lunatic.

Sookie shook her head. "We are so bad. I'm worse than you in that I don't stop you."

I could only imagine she was talking about sex. "We are married, Sookie. It's natural. But I should change. I don't want to give Bill any ideas concerning you." I got up, checking to make sure she wasn't wet too, and then helping her recline back on the sofa.

"I feel shaky, like I just broke through a fever," she said when her strength failed her.

"You did have a fever, according to Doctor Ludwig," I said. Inside my closet I found a pair of black jeans. They were old and not as nice as the ones I'd been wearing (one of Sookie's gifts), but they would have to do for now. No underwear. I'd have to start bringing some. I changed quickly, though I knew my wife was looking at me with lust. I looked up and she smiled shyly. Fuck, I loved her!

Her smile turned into a frown once I zipped up. "I have to talk to Bill?"

"He's the investigator for this area. Do you know what that creature was?"

"Yes, she told me. But I'd rather tell the story only once, if you don't mind." She drank her water again in huge gulps and finished the bottle. "Honey? May I have a Coke, in a glass with lots of ice, please?"

I didn't hesitate and went to the door. Pam was standing guard, so I gave her the task. She was back with Bill at her heels, and when she stood guard again, she did so inside my office. I was not about to argue. It was obvious she was my child, always thinking like me.

"Good evening, Sookie. I would like you to tell me everything that happened tonight." Bill sat at the chair I pointed to. I'd rather have him sitting as I stood next to Sookie.

Sookie looked up at me. I couldn't read her expression, but her feelings were pointing towards something that felt like annoyance. She took a deep breath and began. "Eric's car broke down, so he went to get mine from my house. While I waited for him this woman approached me. She came from the woods. Her hair was a mess and her dress was torn. She had the cottonmouth wrapped around her, but she said not to be scared of it, that it wouldn't attack me. She said she would keep me company while I waited or my ride because things had happened to…" Sookie's voice trailed and she took at sip of her Coke. "She said she was protecting me. When I asked her what she was, she said she was a maenad of the Thiasus. She serves Dionysus."

"What the fuck is a maenad doing in the United States?" I said out loud, not quite believing it. I knew it was true, of course. I'd seen her with my own eyes. In the heat of the moment I hadn't had the wherewithal to figure out what she was.

Bill had been riveted to Sookie as she told her account and tore his gaze from her to look at me. I could have killed him for looking at her in that manner. "She might have come through New Orleans. The fact that she had a pet cottonmouth makes me think she spent some time in a bayou."

"Not necessarily," Sookie piped up. "My brother has seen cottonmouths around his property. He has a small man-made lake next to his house."

I arched my eyebrow at Bill, daring him to contradict her. He didn't. At least his sense of self-preservation was intact. Did I really have to go to Dallas with this idiot? Suddenly I was wishing Sookie would say no to the trip.

"I will search the area where your cars were found and get back to you by the end of the night," Bill said, standing up and nodding to Sookie, then to me. He had the hierarchy wrong, and did it on purpose.

"Is he gone?" Sookie asked, looking up at me.

I made a motion for Pam to check that Bill was indeed out of the building. He was. "What's on your mind Sookie?" I asked, wondering what was on her mind that she felt Bill should not hear.

"The maenad said something bad had happened to one of ours, including me in her group. So I asked her if I was a maenad too, and she said no, that I was her sister. I couldn't get her to elaborate anymore," Sookie shook her head. She'd been looking at Pam while she spoke. I wouldn't blame her if she was upset with me.

"Eric, you told me I'm some kind of supe. Could I be related to a maenad?" Sookie asked, not really looking at me.

"I don't think so, Sookie," Pam answered, grasping the fact that Sookie was mad at me. "Your blood is sweet, almost like a fairy's. A maenad's is rancid. I've only encountered one and it wasn't a meeting I particularly enjoyed."

I chuckled. I remembered that night. Pam had been a vampire for a little over a month, and I had secluded her in the forests of Scotland to keep her away from her family. It was a good enough idea at the time. Pam went crazy for blood and had attacked the first human-looking thing she'd seen. The maenad had turned out to be less than appetizing. Not that our stay in the Scottish woods had been wholly awful. Pam also got her first taste of fairy. We'd shared. It was not a memory I wanted Sookie to be privy to. I thanked my lucky stars she could not read my mind, or Pam's. The orgy that followed would have broken Sookie's heart, not to mention what the sight of the torn fairy corpse would have done to her mind. It hadn't been one of my finer moments.

My smile faded quickly. "Pam, go see if they have retrieved our things from the cars. Do I have a car to go home?"

Pam was her normal efficient self. "Your things are already inside the car, and it's waiting for you in your usual spot," she said, handing me the keys to what appeared to be a Lincoln vehicle.

"Then I'll take Sookie home. Tell Doctor Ludwig we're ready to leave," I said.

The tomte doctor took the IV out of Sookie's hand and said good night. I quickly lifted Sookie and left right behind the doctor.

"I can walk," said Sookie. I knew she was rolling her eyes.

I paid no mind. I'd seen her hand shaking infinitesimally as she'd held her glass. She wasn't completely healed yet. I set her down carefully in the passenger seat of what turned out to be a Lincoln Navigator. Whatever gave Pam the idea that I needed a car this size? Although, I had to admit, it was more comfortable than my Corvette. Sookie wiggled into the leather seat. She seemed to like it too.

"We need to talk," she said as we approached the house. The closer we got to the house the more I felt her anger.

"I understand, but perhaps you should rest," I said. I wasn't avoiding the argument. Once in a while her heart still fluttered and skipped a beat, before resuming its normal rhythm. I knew I would spend all night listening to it.

"No," she said vehemently. "As soon as we get home, we're having this conversation." She crossed her arms. At the very least she had acknowledged that what was once my house was now her home too.

I helped her out of her outfit and into the pajama ensemble she had worn the night I had visited her house after her grandmother's funeral. I took advantage and ran my hands over her warm skin whenever I could. Her lust would flare, and so would her anger. I would have liked nothing more than to have a mad Sookie fuck me.

"Eric, I'm really thirsty again. Can you please bring me some juice?" she asked. She knew better than going to get it herself because I would have stopped her.

"Are you hungry?" I asked. She was right. I'd forgotten everything about how to cook food, but she had some things that were easy to put together. I was sure I could figure out a sandwich.

"No, but thank you," she said. She was being too formal in her politeness. I didn't need to feel what she felt to know she was still angry.

When I returned I waited for her to finish in the bathroom. As soon as she did we sat together on the bed, using the headboard as a backrest. She took a drink from her juice and made an awful face.

"Did it go bad?" I asked about the juice.

"No, no. I just didn't think this through. I brushed my teeth before drinking the juice. Not one of my smartest moments," she answered and smiled.

Her smile morphed into a pained expression. "What's with the bank account, Eric?"

Oh, right, this again. For a moment I thought she would be upset about putting her in harm's way by attacking the maenad. Leave it up to Sookie to put weight on the wrong things.

My own anger started rearing its ugly head. "Are you not my wife? I have lived alone for many centuries, but I know that mates share everything. I'm not stupid, Sookie, nor do I think that you are either. My wife, the wife of the sheriff, should know everything about her husband. I've only started telling you everything because there is so much information to give you. That money is only part of what I own. You will eventually have control over everything. I'll tell you what I own, give you passwords to accounts. I'm not asking you to stop being Sookie Stackhouse, the first woman I've fallen in love with. I'm asking you to be my wife as well. Can you do that? Or have I put my trust in the wrong person?" I know my voice was deeper and louder than I would have liked, but sometimes she needed me to show my own ire.

"You can trust me," she said in a small voice. I had humbled her. Good.

"Imagine it the other way around," I continued. "Imagine me with all my wealth and not willing to share it with you. Would you think that fair? Because I do not. I would think that would show disrespect for what you are."

She was silent. I couldn't read her feelings, much less her emotions. Her heart fluttered and I took a deep breath, willing it to right itself. I closed my eyes, listening intently for several seconds as it resumed its steady pace once more. I'd almost lost her tonight. The pain of loss still stung deeply, even if she was alright and by my side.

"You are my beloved wife," I said, softening my tone.

She turned to me and her eyes leaked thick tears. She was still so dehydrated. "Then why didn't you talk to me before putting my name on the account?" She brushed her tears quickly with the back of her hand, as if mad that they were there.

"Because I make mistakes too. I've been making them more often with you because what we have is new to me. I don't mind apologizing a thousand times for a thousand mistakes, as long as you are here with me, where you ought to be," I pointed at the mattress to emphasize my point, but really I meant wherever I was, there she should be.

"In that case," she paused, "I apologize too. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions."

"Let's forgive each other. You need to rest now and we can talk more tomorrow," I said, gathering her in my arms and getting us both under the blankets.

I hated to ask her now, but I needed to call Bill back before the night was over, or else he would call me. "Sookie," I said her name and waited for her to say "hm?" to make sure she was still awake. "Are we going to Dallas?"

"Yeah, okay. I can help the sheriff there find his friend. If we lost one of ours we'd want other people to help us too," she said and yawned.

I was very surprised. She was including my people into her own circle. I wasn't expecting her to embrace all of them so readily, particularly since some of them scared her like Thalia and Clancy, but it was nice to know.

"Alright, my love. Go to sleep," I ordered her. She fell asleep mere minutes later.

"I believe the shifter has been cavorting with the maenad," Bill said on the phone when I called him to ask for his findings about the maenad.

"The shifter has a name Compton," I said. I didn't know many true shifters, and Sam Merlotte was the only one in my area. I also owed him for Sookie being where she was: in my bed, under my roof, and married to me. Besides, one had to respect a man who had fought in a war and built his business from the ground up. Bill sometimes forgot things of that nature. He had spent too much time amongst our own.

"Of course. I was referring to Sam Merlotte. I tried to rouse him from sleep, but he did not come to his door. The maenad has been all over the woods leading away from Hot Shot to the interstate. Her range is extensive," Bill informed me.

"That means she's been around the woods of both yours and Sookie's house," I concluded for him. "Hot Shot? Are they Weres there? I've never checked."

"I believe they are werepanthers, but have inbred too much and have a lot of problems. They like to keep to themselves," Bill answered.

I'd known there was something going on down in Hot Shot, but the community straddled the line between my fiefdom and that of Area 3. Besides, as Bill had said, they did keep to themselves and preferred their privacy. I knew enough to respect that. The maenad, however, did not.

"Sookie and I are going to Dallas. Make plans to meet me there the day after tomorrow, or you may arrive earlier to start investigating," I said, not wanting him to arrive after us. "Get in touch with Stan Davis' people. They'll arrange the hotel and transportation."

I hung up without waiting for him to confirm whether or not he was going to do it. It had been an order anyway.

I lied beside Sookie in our bed. I'd borrowed her book, just to peek inside her mind. She had been reading a paranormal romance, and this one was better than most. It had me chuckling enough to worry I was going to wake her up. For once, I wasn't poking holes at the story, but truly enjoying the characters.

Sleep claimed me as I finished the book. I'd taken my time and read each line. Maybe I could use some of them on Sookie. She would laugh at me and with me, and we would be happy.

I realized I hadn't done that since I was rearing my children when I'd been human. I used to memorize poems for them, to entertain them at night. My wife had been a good woman, and I'd loved her in a way, but I hadn't been in love with her. I had, however, deeply loved my children. I felt an infinite sadness remembering their faces as I fell into my daytime sleep. I felt one other thing: Sookie's hand on my cheek and her distress at seeing me cry.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I awoke knowing something was wrong. I could hear Sookie crying, but I couldn't open my eyes and couldn't move. It must have been daytime. She was reciting the Lord's Prayer over and over. Something had happened and she was grieving. Her own grief was so strong it had brought me out of my daytime rest enough to hear her.

I managed to say part of her name, but I simply had no strength. She heard me.

"Eric?" I heard her sniffling, I could hear her heart beating a fast pace. When it fluttered and stumbled my fear made me open my eyes.

"Eric," she breathed. "Eric, it's awful. Someone killed my friend Lafayette and left him inside a car," I could see her as if she were underwater. She put her hand under mine and I managed to squeeze hers weakly before succumbing once more.

My dreams that day consisted of Sookie's grief, so I knew what to expect when I awoke for the night. I'd felt her grief when her grandmother had died, but now that we were bonded it was much more intense. I was sorry for her, but it made me feel better that if she had been in danger, I would have woken up to defend her.

She was eating dinner and ready for work when I joined her in the kitchen. She was sitting at the island on a tall stool, looking good enough to eat. I was thirsty, and without Sookie's blood I would have to gulp more True Blood than necessary for the next few days.

"How are you?" I asked her. She wasn't really eating, just pushing her food around the plate. I made her look up at me. Her eyes were red and puffy. She'd been crying all day.

"You were crying when you fell asleep," she said, putting her own suffering behind mine.

"Tell me again what happened to your friend Lafayette," I redirected the conversation. Now was not the time to tell her about my human life, my wife and children, or what happened when I was turned.

"They found him this morning inside Andy Bellefleur's car, and he was dead. Andy had left his car at Merlotte's because he had drunk too much and his sister came and got him. When Sam went to get the bar ready, he saw the car and the door ajar, and found Lafayette dead in the backseat. Eric, I can't help but think of the maenad. She didn't do it, she said she was protecting me because she had seen several things that should not happen to one of ours, and I wonder if she saw Lafayette getting murdered." Sookie stopped, a tear rolling slowly down her cheek.

I hugged her to me, thinking of many things and none of them good enough to share. Her tears felt hot against my skin. "He was so young and he was always so nice to me. He was the only human man who could offer me genuine comfort, without expecting anything from me," she said. A man like that must have been gay, I thought, because any straight male with a pulse would want Sookie.

Gay. Fairy. Fairies were distant cousins of Bassarids, or maenads. A maenad would have called a fairy her sister. Perhaps Sookie's sweet blood was due to some fairy ancestry. It would also explain her ability to register other's thoughts. Sookie was the human version of a fairy's ability to sense energy. Why I hadn't seen it before was beyond me. I'd been too busy falling in love. It was also ironic. I could kill fairies in the blink of an eye, but I was exercising a lot of care in keeping Sookie alive and healthy.

"I'll be okay," Sookie said, pulling away from me and dabbing her eyes and nose with a napkin. "Go get ready. I haven't worked in, how many nights? I need to clear my head."

"My little Sookie. You're a worker bee, aren't you?" I asked her, but didn't wait for her answer. I claimed her lips and felt her spirits lift. There was no lust in this kiss. It was simple, deep love.

**A/N:** We're going on a trip!

**Chapter 19 – A Sorta Fairytale Del Två**


	20. Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy

**A/N: **HI! So… y'all know how I like to research the places where my borrowed people are gonna be, and I found this beautiful hotel in Downtown Dallas that sounded much more interesting and romantic than what I read in Book 2 or saw on TB. It's a real hotel, though whether or not it's been retrofit to have vampire guests is anyone's guess.

I am always touched by your reviews, and also those of you who favorited (it's a word, I swear) and alerted my story. Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou!

This chapter is a behemoth – must be the weekend. We're back to seeing the world through Sookie's eyes. I hope y'all enjoy it! :-)

* * *

**Chapter 20 – Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy**

I'd never flown before, and I was sure I was getting spoiled for commercial flights. Being bonded to a sheriff had its perks. Eric had explained that there was a flight service called Anubis that would have flown him, but not me. He had decided against that, not wanting us to arrive separately at the airport in Dallas. I was a bit apprehensive about flying by myself my very first time, so I decided not to remind him that I'm an adult, perfectly capable of following instructions. Now, instead of flying a non-stop on American Airlines from Shreveport to Dallas, we made the one-hour flight in style.

We still left from the airport in Shreveport, but on a chartered flight. I really didn't want to know how much it had cost or who was paying. I was just really glad that we got to set our time so that Eric could travel at night and not inside a coffin during the day. It took a significant weight off my shoulders. The only drawback was having to share the flight with Bill Compton. Eric took pity on me and told me to bring the laptop. I wasn't totally there in the computer "savviness," but it was enough to make me look busy and not have to make small talk.

I searched our hotel, the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. The pictures were beautiful. There was another hotel that had been converted to allow for vampire guests, the Silent Shore Hotel, but the Rosewood Mansion catered more to both vampires and their human companions. It had a Five-Star restaurant and plenty of places where I could catch the sun. It even had a pool. I was really looking forward to using it. Hopefully I'd have the time.

I shifted the laptop to show Eric the pool, pointing to it with a silent smile. He looked up from his magazine (Rolling Stone – he liked to keep up with the music world, who knew?) and nodded with a smile of his own. Then his eyes shifted to mine and his smile turned devilish, lust bombarding me through the bond. I made a "tsk-tsk" sound, and continued exploring the hotel. I was looking at this more like a vacation than a job. It was the first time Eric and I took a trip together.

His cool fingers traced my forearm, and I turned my arm at the tickling touch. I liked it when he ran his fingers through the inside of my arm. Eric resumed his reading, and I could feel Bill Compton's eyes on us briefly. I didn't look up, but shifted uncomfortably in my seat. Bill was working on his laptop as well, probably on something more important than what I was doing. He was typing super vampire fast. I was wondering how the machine was keeping up with his keystrokes.

It's amazing how slow an hour on a plane will go. Eric read through his Rolling Stone, cover to cover without skipping any articles, in just a few minutes then pulled a James Patterson book, reading slowly – for him, anyway. He was done by the time we landed.

I could only imagine what we looked like; probably like we belonged on a chartered flight, no doubt. Since we were going to the hotel only to drop off our bags and then straight to Stan Davis' house, we had all dressed for work. I was wearing a suit courtesy of Pam. I was thinking I'd get her a badge that said Fashion Police for Christmas. She'd taken my tastes into account, though, and had put me in a pant suit instead of a skirt. It's amazing what good tailoring will do to one's butt. I was very proud of mine, and Eric wouldn't stop touching.

Eric and Bill were both in suits as well, and as much as I disliked Bill, I had to admit he looked very well put together in his navy suit. Still, nobody could ever compare to my tall, handsome husband who was wearing a light gray one, sort of matching mine, actually. The only difference was the material (mine had a little stretch to it) and I was wearing a baby pink button down shirt, while Eric was wearing a royal blue one. I would have blamed Pam that we were all matchy-matchy, but I was sure she hadn't picked Eric's suit.

"Great minds think alike," Eric had said when we had both finished getting ready for our flight.

Now we were heading through the Dallas Love Field airport, with Eric lugging our garment bag and wheeled carry-on, I with his laptop bag and my purse, and Bill with his own garment bag leading the way. Supposedly there was a car waiting for us.

"I like this airport," Eric commented, looking around.

I wasn't sure what to say, only having been in the Shreveport one before this one. The one in Shreveport was about the same size, though a little older. I was feeling many harried minds pressing on mine, so I wasn't paying much attention to the airport itself and redirecting my energy to shielding.

I felt Eric's hand squeeze mine and looked up. Apparently he'd asked me a question. "Would you like something to eat or drink?" he repeated.

"Oh! I'm sorry, got distracted. A coffee would be good," I answered, knowing this would be a long night. A coffee would be really good. I turned and headed for a Starbucks.

I rejoined my companions shortly after with a huge steaming cup of regular coffee (nothing fancy for me, thank you), with tons of sugar and creamer which was the only way I could stomach Starbucks coffee. "I'm beginning to enjoy the smell of coffee," Eric whispered in my ear, sending sweet shivers down to my tootsies.

"Why?" I asked in a teasing tone. I already knew why, but wanted him to say it.

"Because your blood is sweeter after you drink coffee," he said, still whispering as we walked. Okay, not exactly words to send every girl's heart aflutter, but they did it for me because of what happened when he drank blood from me.

We stepped outside the airport, to see that Bill had already found the car that was waiting for us. It was a black limo. I shook my head in disbelief. Bill got in first, taking one of the seats facing the back, thank God. I would have hated looking the wrong way. Eric and I sat in the regular one facing forward.

It was time to talk to Bill. This ride wouldn't last long, so the conversation didn't have to be extensive. But what I needed to say was important. "Bill, when I meet with humans, you're going to have to let me ask the questions, okay?"

"As you wish, Sookie," he answered with a nod. I felt like Princess Buttercup, except Bill wasn't nearly as cute as Cary Elwes. More like Prince Humperdink.

"But I may not be listening to what they say out loud, so you'll have to take note of that," I continued. It was hard for me to concentrate on listening to someone's mind and mouth at the same time, and most times it garnered the speaker a blank look from me, or else a nervous smile. Therefore the Crazy Sookie title I'd borne since I was a little girl.

Bill nodded politely to indicate his agreement. I could feel Eric beside me, almost radiating with pride. I wasn't sure what he was proud of: my big mouth? Or my ability to give instructions? Knowing Eric, it was probably the latter.

The limo pulled into a brick driveway, more beautiful than the photo I'd seen of the Rosewood Mansion. The mansion's lighting looked ethereal, taking advantage of the lush flora surrounding it. The peach stucco of the façade glowed softly, and I was so excited to see the rest of the hotel that my heart skipped a beat. Eric eyed me with a worried look, but his eyes softened when he saw me practically jumping in my seat, impatient for someone to let me out of the car. I was showing my relative age to the vampires.

Bill led the way inside, stopping at the front desk. The bellboy ran out to our car to retrieve our bags and the front desk clerk started taking Bill's information. And me? I was looking all around me in awe. The floors were slick marble, liable to make you fall on your butt if you had wet shoes. The ceilings were high and vaulted. There were giant flower arrangements everywhere, each sitting on a wrought iron and marble top table. There were several plush sitting areas around the front desk, and many people and vampires milling around them. Most of them looked like they were on vacation, dressed elegantly for dinner and then a night out on the town. I felt like I was at a resort. What a lovely place.

I was brought back to Earth by an awful image. Bill said, "I will need to feed," to the front desk clerk and she simply said they would send someone up in ten minutes. They meant a human for food, and probably sex. I made a face. Leave it up to freaking Bill to ruin my little bliss with a vision of him feeding on someone's neck. Ick!

"Eric and Sookie Northman," Eric said to the girl. She eyed us carefully, but knew better than to say anything. A vampire and a human with the same last name could mean anything nowadays. Perhaps Eric had been turned while we were already married. You never know. We could have been siblings, but Eric's possessive hand on my lower back made that rather hard to swallow.

We headed up a beautiful staircase to our room on the second floor of the mansion, with the bellboy close behind us carrying our bags. I dropped my shields out of curiosity, and immediately knew his name was Barry, and he was telepathic, like me. I was listening to my own thoughts. I quickly shielded back up, hoping that would keep me out of his mind as much as him out of mine. I didn't want to startle him, for one, since he seemed scared enough of Eric and more of Bill. I also didn't want vampires to know what he could do. Eric was fine, but Bill… Bill had no business knowing Barry's business.

I harrumphed quietly, earning me an inquisitive look from Eric. I shook my head a tiny bit, letting him know now was not the time to tell him what was on my mind. Once inside our room and alone for a few minutes, I told Eric about Barry.

"Interesting," he said, giving it a lot of thought. "Yes, it's better if nobody knows. Though sooner or later someone will figure it out," he warned.

"I know that, but it won't be because we said anything," I started for the bathroom but stopped in my tracks. Eric hadn't had my blood, not even a taste, in two days, and was supposed to give me at least one more day. "Eric, do you need to feed?" I asked.

"No, my love. You're still weak. Better play it safe and let you heal for a couple more days," he answered. He was reaching inside the mini fridge in front of our bed and pulled a PureBlood, a different brand of the synthetic blood. He didn't like that one as much as True Blood, but it was the only one available.

"Um… But maybe you can order in," I ventured. Bad thing to say. Eric's eyes went from loving to murderous in less than a blink. He didn't say anything. He was seething.

"I'm sorry," I said in a soft voice and turned to use the bathroom, closing the door behind me, but not bothering with the lock like I used to. Like he couldn't break down a door…

When I was done I found him sitting on the bed, elbows resting on his knees and a bottle of blood half empty in his hands. He was staring at it with a vacant expression.

"I have not tasted another's blood since I met you, and I have no desire to do so. I'd rather gorge myself on this stuff," he lifted the bottle, "than hurt you that way. Did you really think I would feed from another with you in the room?"

I shook my head, but he wasn't looking at me. "No, Eric. I'm sorry I even suggested it. I'm just worried about you not eating."

I sat next to him and pried one of his hands from the bottle, bringing it up and kissing his fingers then thought better of it. He needed more. I'd hurt him with my assumption. I stood up, taking the blood away and putting his empty hands on my waist. I cupped his face and brought it up, caressing the angular lines that made his face the most beautiful I'd ever seen. He closed his eyes when I kissed the top of his cheeks. I brushed his lips with my thumb and he parted them for me, waiting for my kiss. I kissed him slowly, the way he liked to kiss me. I tasted that God-awful stuff he'd been drinking, but didn't care. My tongue went in search of his, barely registering that Eric's hands were busy undoing buttons.

I pulled away a little. "Do we have time?" I asked breathless.

He nodded emphatically, and had me pinned to the bed and ready for him in a jiffy. He'd taken off my pants and panties, but my shirt and jacket were still on, though unbuttoned. He pushed the bra up to reach my breasts at the same time that he glided inside me easily, still wearing his own shirt and jacket.

"We'll have to make this a quick one," he breathed into my nipple, and started pumping faster.

"Okay, okay, yes, okay," I agreed with him, holding his head to my chest. I loved quickies. They felt naughty, particularly when we were partially clothed.

I felt a tiny prick on my breast where he'd fastened his mouth to suck, and as soon as the drop of blood met his tongue his euphoria melted into me and we both reached our happy endings together. I floated slowly back into my body while Eric lapped up the tiny bit of blood he'd managed to get. I knew it was really hard for him not to bite when he was hungry. The synthetic blood kept him strong and healthy, but his hunger could only be sated with human blood. That's how the magic worked.

His hair had come out of its band, and I smoothed it gently, feeling waves of love ricocheting back and forth between both of us. We had a long night ahead, but this little interlude gave me the strength I needed. Just as I thought that, the phones in our room rang. Eric groaned, rolling away to answer the one on the bedside table.

Ten minutes later we were meeting with the caller, Stan Davis' second, a vampire by the name of Isabel Beaumont. She was tall, incredibly thin, with very long brown hair that she kept in a braid. She must have been sick when she was turned. Even Pam, as petite as she was, looked healthier than this woman.

"I trust you are enjoying your accommodations," she said to Eric, sounding like she didn't really give a hoot whether we did or not. She only spoke to Eric, never to Bill, and much less to me. She probably thought I was the meal. Eric hadn't really explained how I could help, only that I could. It would become apparent as soon as I started talking to the other humans.

Isabel led the way to her own car, a large Lexus something or other, better known as the equivalent of Pam's Toyota Avalon. She would drive us to Stan Davis' house. I thought that was interesting. I knew Eric didn't ever invite visitors to his house. The only two people who'd ever been in it had been Pam and me. He wouldn't trust anybody else with that address. Then I remembered that Stan lived in what Eric had called a nest, many vampires sharing the same lodging. Eric didn't approve of those accommodations, not when vampires were trying to mainstream. They had the tendency to goad each other into more and more evil acts.

As posh and mighty as the Lexus was, the back wasn't big enough to accommodate Eric's large frame. I ended up sitting in the back with Bill Compton, pressing myself against the door because, though I may not have the extra sensibilities of a vampire, I am nevertheless gifted in identifying creeps. And Bill Compton gave me the creeps. I sat on the passenger side of the vehicle, directly behind Eric. He only had to turn his head a little bit to keep an eye on Bill, and that's exactly what he did, under the pretense of talking to Isabel.

"What ever happened with the lawsuit?" Eric asked. I wasn't sure what lawsuit he was talking about, but I listened in.

"It fell through, of course. The anti-discrimination laws are very broad, plus our immediate neighbors don't really mind us. It was some fool from the HOA who joined the Fellowship of the Sun and decided to take us on using the Fellowship's dime. The man doesn't even live in the same community." I never figured Isabel for a babbler, but it sounded like that was exactly what she was doing. "We had a great lawyer, too."

"I'm glad," Eric answered, though he didn't particularly sound glad.

I wondered what the Fellowship of the Sun was. I had heard of it in passing, but hadn't paid much attention. Eric must have felt my confusion because he turned a little in his seat to look at me.

"The Fellowship of the Sun is a group that spreads anti-vampire propaganda under the guise of religion. They're a hate group," he explained.

I nodded, understanding. Of course there would be one of those. There was a hate group for everything, always had been, and always would be. Vampires were the new minority, even though most of them were older than any human alive.

Isabel frowned, and I wasn't sure if it was because of the Fellowship or because Eric had taken a moment to explain to me what the Fellowship was. I think it was Eric's concern for me. She hadn't cottoned on to the fact that we were blood bonded.

We arrived at a posh community with custom built mansions, each separated by tall fences and lots of vegetation. No wonder the vampires' neighbors didn't care about the vampires. There was no way they would have interacted through the flora. The sheriff's house was huge and set far away from the main road. Isabel parked at a circular driveway with many cars, probably as many cars as vampires that lived here. I counted seven cars, including Isabel's, and I already knew there was one missing. At least eight vampires living under the same roof. Suddenly I was really glad that my husband was a really old and really powerful vampire, and that vampires had rules against harming another's blood bonded.

Eric got my door and threaded my arm through his as we walked inside. He was calm, so I was too. We were led through a tall foyer towards the back of the house to a dining room. There were more vampires here than seven, and a few humans, all of them milling around apparently awaiting our arrival. At the head of the dining room table was the geekiest vampire I'd ever seen, and wearing glasses too of all things. They couldn't have been prescription, not even if he had worn them while human. All those deficiencies were corrected when a human turned into a vampire.

We approached that vampire and Eric inclined his head. "Stan, nice to see you."

Stan inclined his head too, standing up. "Eric, thank you for coming," he said, then shifted his gaze to me. I knew that look very well, having been on the receiving end of it for quite a while now. Stan was gauging how beddable I was, and probably how good I would taste.

Eric cleared his throat, and it almost sounded like a growl. "Please meet my wife and blood bonded, Sookie Stackhouse Northman," he introduced me. Apparently that was my permanent name when dealing in vampire business. Okey-dokey.

Stan's expression shifted. His eyes widened the tiniest bit, just enough to show surprise and fear at the same time. Surprise at what I was; fear that he had looked at me the wrong way. He inclined his head towards me like he should have from the beginning. "My pleasure. I am Stan Davis, Sheriff of Area 6," he said, introducing himself since Eric had done a bad job of it, what with his being overly protective of me and all. I forgave him. He hadn't been brought up in the South.

"How do you do, Mr. Davis?" I said. I wasn't sure what to call him. For the most part, I called vampires by their first names, but Stan was a sheriff. It was a rhetorical question anyway.

"And this is Bill Compton, the investigator for my area," Eric said, pointing at Bill on his other side.

All introductions done, Stan dismissed all the people in his retinue except Isabel. He told us the story of his missing nest mate. "Our brother Farrell went to our club one evening, the Bat's Wing here in Dallas, and hasn't been seen since. It's been almost a week now."

"I trust your staff is here tonight, as I requested. My wife is here to help question your human employees. Perhaps she can glean more information than you were able to," Eric said.

"How will she do this?" Isabel asked with a leer. She must have been the skeptic in the group.

"I am a telepath. I will read their minds," I said, my pride piqued. Isabel's expression changed quickly to one of surprise. Stan's did too. _Yeah, keep ignoring me, bitch!_, I thought. Not my most mature moment.

"Then let's get started, please. Isabel, bring them in one at a time," Stan ordered, sitting back at the head of the table. He was an easily forgettable man, with light hair and eyes, a small build, and clothes to match his geek status. Either way he must have been smart and powerful to have been named Sheriff.

Bill took a seat at the other side of the table from us and whipped up his laptop, letting it start up while he got a pen and pad of paper. At least he was prepared. Eric wouldn't have expected anything less. Bill knew he was already on Eric's list. One slip up and Bill would be punished, and probably lose his job as investigator, plus whatever else he was doing for Queen Sophie-Anne.

Isabel reappeared with a young girl in tow. The girl was crying silent tears, and I dipped into her mind to see the source of her distress. She thought the vampires were punishing her, but she didn't know what she had done. She'd never been called to Stan's house, and the fact that she was there meant she had done something wrong. Her confusion and fear were suffocating. I got her name, Bethany, and her age, twenty one. She was a waitress at the Bat's Wing.

"Bethany," I said her name softly as she was made to sit in one of the dining room chairs. The chair had been moved sideways, so that Bethany was facing me. I grabbed the chair closest and turned it to face the girl, sitting in front of her so she didn't feel intimidated by me. The girl looked up at the sound of my voice, tears rolling down her eyes.

"I didn't do anything," she said in a small voice.

"Of course not, you're a great waitress. Mister Stan is looking for a good friend of his that disappeared, and maybe you remember seeing him at the bar," I turned to Stan. "What does Farrell look like?"

"Like a cowboy," Stan said immediately. I could feel Eric's amusement behind me, and it was all I could do to not look at him and start laughing along with him.

I tried again. "We're in Dallas, Mister Stan. Perhaps you could be a bit more specific."

Stan raised an eyebrow at me, but then rearranged his features and complied. "He's… five foot eleven inches, brown hair with a little gray, slim, and that night he was wearing a blue shirt, bolo tie, jeans, black boots with a steel toe, and a light brown Stetson hat."

Eric's amusement spiked, no doubt imagining himself in the hat. I tried to transmit my annoyance and got hit by his lust, no doubt imagining me wearing nothing _but_ the hat. Oy!

I took one of Bethany's hands, offering comfort and at the same time strengthening the link to her mind. "Alright, Bethany, think back to last Saturday night at the Bat's Wing. Do you remember seeing a vampire matching that description?"

I was in business. Bethany had a gift for recollection. I saw Farrell easily, sitting at a table with a red-haired vampire woman, a black-haired vampire man that looked Hispanic, and another vampire who looked to be no older than fifteen or sixteen. I described all the vampires to Bill, who was taking notes. Bethany had served them drinks that night. "Then what happened?" I asked Bethany.

Her mind flooded with images of the dance floor, where I saw the red-head and the Hispanic vampire, each with a human dancing companion. The images shifted back to the table, where Farrell and the boy vampire had struck up a conversation. Then another set of meaningless images and Bethany was cleaning up the table, grabbing her tip, wondering where the two vampires had gone. She had looked up in time to see Farrell and the boy vampire enter the men's room.

It didn't take me to draw the conclusions from there. It was obvious that Farrell had gone in the bathroom to have sex with the vampire boy, since vampires don't use the bathroom. I doubted they'd gone in together to wash their hands. I suppressed my mental yuk, and reminded myself that though the vampire boy looked very young, he was probably very old. Farrell looked like he had been turned at close to forty, still handsome with laugh lines. He must have liked them young and male.

"Bethany, can you describe the young vampire again?" I asked her. I wanted her to slow down her recollection, so I could take a good look. It was like zooming in on someone using a camera. She saw his short blond hair, his dark eyes, and something else, a series of crude blue tattoos on his neck, around his hairline, and on his arms. She had a hard time describing them aloud, but I'd be able to describe them better afterwards.

"Thank you so much, Bethany," I said to her, and looked up to Stan, giving him a small smile to let him know I was done. His gaze shifted slightly, like he'd been thinking hard about something, and soon thereafter a very young vampire girl came into the dining room. She looked to be no older than Bethany herself. Before Bethany let go of my hand, I had a mental picture and a name of someone she was worried for, another employee named Re-Bar. He looked huge, and I had to guess he was a bouncer.

The vampire girl started telling Bethany about an exciting party, and I realized that she was erasing Bethany's memory of tonight and replacing it with something far more interesting. Well… brownie points to Stan for taking care of the girl. Perhaps he was more like Eric than I'd originally thought.

"Mister Stan, I think I should speak to a guy named Re-Bar next," I said. Stan nodded, and soon the Hispanic vampire from Bethany's memory entered the room with Re-Bar in tow. Apparently Stan could communicate silently with his nest mates. That was an interesting tidbit I'd have to ask Eric about later. Both the vampire and the bouncer looked exactly as I'd seen them in Bethany's mind. The girl had amazing recollection. Too bad she didn't use it for something like going to college.

"Good evening, Mister Davis, how are you this evening?" Re-Bar asked. From Stan's reaction to the question I could tell this was not the way Re-Bar usually addressed him.

I touched Re-Bar's hand briefly, and pulled it away quickly. "His memory has been erased," I said, suddenly remembering the night I'd tried to lift a memory by force from Ginger's mind. Never again. Eric's hand was on my shoulder immediately, and I caressed it with my fingers, letting him know I wasn't about to do anything stupid.

"What do you mean?" Stan asked me.

"There's a huge gap in his memory. A vampire must have glamoured him into forgetting whatever he saw, but didn't take the time to replace the missing memory with something else. Not only that, but this man's mind is damaged. It's missing much more than just memories." I made a motion with my hands, trying to get the words to come to me. "He's forgotten his personality. That's the only way I can describe it."

Stan looked thoughtful, and I glanced sideways to see Bill scribbling ferociously on his notepad, typing something into his laptop then scribbling again. For all I knew he was writing "I shall not be a dick" a thousand times, but I had to give it to him for looking busy and on the ball.

Stan turned to the Hispanic vampire. "Please take Re-Bar home and make sure he has company." _Huh_, I thought. Stan was acting very nobly. I'd have to rethink my view of geeky vampires.

I met with a couple of other humans, the bartender at the Bat's Wing, and a frequent patron (a.k.a. fangbanger, but I don't like labels), but their minds were not as clear as Bethany's had been. By the time I was finished, Bill had something to add to the conversation.

"I have found the young vampire that was with Farrell. His name is Godric, though he goes by Godfrey nowadays. He was turned in Roman times, and the tattoos were a sign that he had a master before he was turned. He was a slave, probably a sex slave," Bill said. He was reading from his computer. Imagine that: you could Google individual vampires. I wondered what I would find if I Googled Eric. "Godfrey is a renouncer. He wants to meet the sun and has made many allusions to the matter."

"What else?" Eric pressed.

"There is talk that he has been seen at the Fellowship of the Sun headquarters here in Dallas. The Fellowship's discussion boards are brimming with mentions of him. Also, there is a big event happening tomorrow night into Sunday, something about the Dawn of Light, and Godfrey is the speaker," Bill said and looked up. For once he showed some kind of real emotion: revulsion.

"Godfrey is going to meet the sun this Sunday. You don't suppose he convinced Farrell to do the same," Eric said, turning to Stan.

Stan and Isabel were both in obvious distress. "No, there's no way. Farrell has been a vampire for only fifty years. He was very happy when we came out publicly. He had no reason to renounce or meet the sun," Stan said, defending Farrell.

"Perhaps Godfrey did not want to meet the sun alone," Bill offered.

That definitely seemed more plausible to the vampires: a kidnapping executed by the young-looking but incredibly old vampire over the relatively new one. If I'd done my math correctly, I could guess Godfrey was even older than Eric, who had already lost count of how old he was but guessed he'd been turned around the year 980. Godfrey would have been turned during the Roman Empire, at least five hundred years before. No wonder he wanted to meet the sun. He was _old_, and had been stuck in his youthful appearance all that time. At least Eric looked like a grown man.

"May I suggest you search the Fellowship headquarters tonight? Tomorrow it will be impossible without involving humans," Eric said.

"Of course," Stan shook himself. Even if he looked like a geek, he was still a vampire of action. "Thank you, Eric, for lending us a hand. Isabel's human will drive you back to your hotel."

"I would like to stay and help," Bill piped up, closing his laptop and putting it away. Who knew he was the reconnaissance type. Either way, he was overstepping Eric, who was his boss, and showing him up. I knew Eric wouldn't involve himself any further. This was not his fight, and none of his people were in danger. Except now, that Bill was offering to put himself in harm's way.

"Very well, Bill. We will see you later at the hotel," Eric said. He was angry with Bill, but not enough to make a scene.

Isabel's human was a nice looking, almost-middle-aged man. He came into the dining room after Isabel had texted him from her cell phone. I guessed whatever mind chatter Stan could share with his people, he couldn't share with any humans. As soon as the man's eyes alighted on Isabel's thin frame, it was like a cat had scented catnip. His pupils dilated, and his mouth sported a dreamy smile. I'm sure he would have rubbed himself on her if she hadn't stopped him with a glare.

"This is Hugo Ayres. Hugo, please take Master Eric and Mistress Sookie back to their hotel," Isabel said. I bristled at being called Mistress Sookie, remembering the fight that had elicited the same appellation from Eric. Isabel had done it to make sure Hugo knew his place, so I wasn't about to argue. Obviously that's how they did things in Dallas.

"Hugo Ayres," Eric repeated; he seemed to remember the name. "You're the lawyer who defended the lawsuit brought by the HOA."

"Yes, I am. Thank you for remembering," Hugo said, inclining his head a little too much in Eric's direction.

I'd propped up my shields after each human encounter, and decided to lower them to peek inside Hugo's mind. Boy, did I get a peek! It was a horrible tale. Hugo had been a powerful lawyer when he was contracted to defend the vampires, but had made the mistake of getting involved with Isabel. Now he was addicted to her, had left his wife and children for her, and had modified his hours to be with her. He had left it all for her, even his practice, because with the change in hours he couldn't make it to court. I also learned that Hugo was envious of me, because I wasn't besotted by my vampire love and I looked healthy while he looked sallow. Actually, it was less like envy and more like hatred, particularly when he saw the way Eric kissed the top of my head to calm my emotions. Hugo wanted what Eric and I had, but with Isabel.

"I think we should call a cab," I whispered to Eric, hopefully low enough so that the human couldn't hear it. Eric heard me and rubbed my arm, but he felt confident about accepting a ride from Hugo.

Inside Isabel's car we were silent. I had no choice but to listen to Hugo's mental dribble for the whole ride, because I distrusted him. I learned his favorite sexual positions, and I got to see what poor Isabel's body looked like naked. Skeletal. He obviously liked them skinny, because his wife had been very slim as well, though she had plumped up a little with each pregnancy, so maybe Hugo's wife was now a size four, compared to Isabel's size zero. _Jerk!_ I thought, leaving his wife for that vampire stick insect. I hoped Hugo's wife knew several good lawyers, and right as I thought it I got my answer. She had cleaned him out. I'm not usually the vindictive type, and immediately regretted my thoughts. God knew I had left most of my old life behind to be with Eric.

We arrived at our hotel without problems and I was more than glad to be rid of Hugo's thoughts swirling inside my mind. Eric walked slowly, draping an arm over my shoulders while I wrapped mine around his waist.

"Would you like to go explore our hotel? Or do you want to go to the room? Are you hungry?" Eric sounded a little excited. He didn't seem ready to go to our room yet.

"I'm a little hungry. Do you think the restaurant is still open?" I asked. I hadn't eaten since before our flight, and it was already past midnight.

"Let's go find out," he said, pulling me towards the front desk. The restaurant was a little ways beyond it, but it was closed. We kept walking and found the bar, still open and offering live entertainment.

They had True Blood, which made Eric happy, and they had food, which made me happy. We settled at a table removed from the live entertainment so we could talk.

"Are they going to the… headquarters tonight?" I asked Eric. I was pretty sure they were; I just wanted confirmation.

"Yes. They want to save their nest mate, and tonight is the best night. There shouldn't be anybody at those headquarters tonight. Tomorrow they have that overnight meeting and if they wait, it could turn into a raid. They would rather save their cowboy in silence," Eric said and leaned against me, breathing his cool breath into my ear, making me shiver. "How do you think I would look in a Stetson hat?"

I smiled. He wasn't in the mood to talk serious stuff. "As handsome as ever," I answered, giving his ego a healthy boost, not that he needed it.

"I think I should purchase one and let you borrow it," he nipped my ear. I knew he was thinking the same thing he'd thought at Stan's house: me wearing nothing but that hat.

I slapped his hand with my fingertips in a playful motion, trying not to smile but it was useless. He was incorrigible and I only fueled his impish thoughts.

"Let's go to the pool," he suggested when I finished my gourmet French fries and glass of Pinot Grigio.

"Do you think it's open?" I asked him as he waived to our server for the check.

"Let's find out," he said, still in that curious mood. Our server said the pool was always open. He'd been very polite and pleasant, and I saw Eric give him an extra nice tip, no doubt trying to earn brownie points with me.

I changed into my bikini in our bathroom, because if I knew anything with complete conviction it was that if Eric saw me naked, we would never make it to the pool. I put on my cover-up, a short black terry dress with spaghetti straps that hid one of the many suits I owned. It was a flowery one with a push-up top and a string bottom. I didn't need the push-up for the girls, but I did need the structure so that everyone would remain inside the top.

In our room, Eric had changed into a pair of black board shorts and sandals. With his hair down all he needed was a tan to look like the quintessential beach dude. Even though the board shorts were far preferable to, say, swim briefs, I was still salivating at the view: broad expansive shoulders, flat belly, the delicious diagonal line at his hips that pointed at, well, all the fun stuff that was covered by the swimsuit. When he turned around to grab a T-shirt, his butt beckoned. I almost went to touch it but he turned again to face me, already wearing the T-shirt.

There wasn't anybody at the pool, though nobody that saw us making our way there gave us THE look. You know that look, the one strangers give when they're second guessing other strangers' decisions. Either way, I was glad nobody followed us out of curiosity, because as soon as I took off my cover-up I was met by a lustful gaze and the lustful feelings that went along with it. I wasn't sure how this was going to work.

Eric came close and took my hand, leading me to the stairs at one of the shallow ends of the pool. We descended into the tepid water together, but Eric let me go and disappeared under the water like a blond torpedo. I envied him. I was a good enough swimmer, having spent many weekends on the lake by Jason's house (which used to be our parents' house), or at the Y pool with Tara. I still couldn't compete with Eric's vampire speed and the fact that he didn't really need to breathe.

I swam slowly, once in a while seeing Eric swim under me like a shark measuring its prey. He appeared before me, at a particularly deep part of the pool. None of it was deeper than five and a half feet, but I _am_ five and a half feet tall. Eric, however, was nearly a whole foot taller than that, so even standing in the deepest part, his head was still well above water. He caught me with a mischievous smile and I pouted.

"What's wrong my love?" he asked, threading his arms around my waist.

"You swim so fast and so well. I'm envious," I said, trying not to smile. He looked good wet, and his smile was contagious.

"Would you like a ride?" he asked and waggled his eyebrows.

"I can't breathe underwater, and the water stings my eyes…" I stopped talking. He'd put a wet finger on my lips.

"Trust me," he said, and I, of course, trusted him.

He turned around and I held onto his neck. Somehow he managed to float just below the surface, with me on his back, and we zoomed back and forth on the pool a few times, with me smiling like a fool. I realized how he'd done it. He'd used his ability to fly so he could float exactly where he wanted.

We ended up at one of the corners of the pool, with my back against the wall and my legs and arms still wrapped around him. He turned to face me, and began tracing patterns from my neck to my shoulders, as if every drop of water of my skin was utterly fascinating.

"Are we leaving tomorrow?" I asked, not really wanting to, not yet. We'd already helped the sheriff as much as we could, and maybe we could enjoy the city a little.

Eric seemed to read my thoughts, but probably my tone gave me away. "We can stay one more night if you like. I would love to see you in that bikini again."

"Maybe we should get a pool," I suggested.

"Perhaps, but I was thinking more along the lines of where to take you for our honeymoon. I'm sorry we can't take too much time off now, but we can go somewhere warm in January, spend some time alone," he kissed my lips softly. "I want to make love to you under the moonlight," he whispered, and made me shiver with anticipation.

"We can do that at my house, you know," I offered, just to mess with him.

"And have that idiot Bill walk in on us? I don't think so," he said and chuckled. "He'd get a show, though. You're beautiful. He can barely keep his eyes off you."

"I wish you'd do something about that. It's giving me the creeps," I mumbled.

"I would, but when you deny somebody something, they want it even more. I would rather he look at you than touch you," then, to prove his point, his hands roamed over my butt and one of them undid a string from my bottom. "I want to be the only one who ever touches you," he said, leaning in to kiss me again and reaching for my center, making me wiggle in the water at his touch.

"Honey, this is not the best place," I said into his lips. He swallowed my words along with my tongue and continued touching me. I'd have to trust that his super vampire senses would alert him if somebody came to the pool area.

He pulled away from our kiss suddenly and had tied me back up in a blink. His speed scared me, making me think that we'd been spotted. His smile told me a different story. "I have an idea," he said, and jumped out of the pool. I'm not talking he used the edge of the pool as leverage, no. He backed away from me a bit, crouched and became airborne, landing right behind me. He reached under my arms and pulled me out easily, cradling me against him until we got to the lounge chairs where we'd left our stuff.

Once in our room I discovered that Eric's idea was to take a bath together, since we needed one anyway. I didn't think that was much of an idea. We took baths together often. I said as much when he started running the water.

"This bathtub is bigger than ours," he said, pointing out the obvious. I shrugged and got inside. He'd scented the water with bath salts, and the water felt hot after the not-quite-warm water of the pool. I relaxed and dipped my head under the water, rinsing the chlorine off my hair.

When I came up for air I found my husband giving me a hungry stare from his side of the tub. He dipped his head too and moved under the water, settling between my legs, bringing my thighs up to rest on his shoulders. I felt his tongue begin a slow underwater exploration of my sex, making me throw my head back at the new sensation. Everything around me was pleasure: Eric's tongue, the warm water on my skin, the scent of the salts, the feel of Eric's hair under the water when my fingers got tangled in it. I hoped the walls were sound proofed because I was about to make a lot of noise. Before I came, Eric brought me out of the water and turned me around, bending me over the edge of the tub and claiming me.

"Yes," he snarled behind me, speeding up and making himself slow down, holding my hips steady because I felt like bucking against him in my effort to feel him deeper.

"Eric," I cried out his name, remaining at the cusp of a prolonged orgasm. If I didn't go over the edge soon I would go mad. I reached down to touch myself, to help things along.

"Touch me too," Eric growled. It was an incredible turn on to feel his length as it pumped inside me, knowing he was watching from above. With the heel of my hand I pleasured myself while my fingers squeezed an orgasm out of him. Little stars burst behind my eyelids as I came, howling in pleasure and holding on fearing I would fall under the water. Eric's mighty battle cry came soon thereafter, each of his spasms making the water splash around us.

Later, inside the cocoon Eric had made of the blankets on our bed, I spared a thought to the cowboy vampire we had come here to find. "You think Farrell is okay?"

Eric took a deep breath, the way he always did when he was thinking hard about an answer. "I hope so. Stan and Isabel obviously care about him. I wouldn't be surprised if one or both are a sibling."

"As in they share one vampire maker?" I asked, to get clarification. Sometimes vampire lore and rules caught me off guard.

"Yes. Siblings don't share the same deep connection as makers and children, since they don't share blood, but they do care about each other," he paused, thinking. "Like you and Pam care for each other," he said.

I frowned. "But I'm not a vampire."

"But you have my blood, and so does Pam," he said, soothing me by running his fingers over the inside of my arm. It made sense, though Pam and I had been friends before Eric and I had bonded.

"What would happen to them if Farrell died?" I asked, thinking of the worst case scenario.

"They would be very upset and grieve for him."

"Oh," I said. "I thought maybe their connection would…" I wasn't sure what I wanted to say, so I stopped talking.

But then I tried to picture Stan and Isabel grieving, and understood the magnitude of what Eric was telling me. Yes, I had seen Eric and Pam be emotional when it came to me and my wellbeing, but that was because we three shared a deep connection, and Pam was Eric's child, sharing in his emotions. Otherwise they conducted themselves like… well, like vampires. Losing Farrell would deal a huge blow to Stan and Isabel, and probably to the rest of the nest family. I recited my prayers silently, and threw in a little one asking God to aid in the search and rescue of the cowboy vampire.

**A/N**: Reviews make Eric happy. ;-D


	21. Owl versus Dove

**A/N**: This is kind of fluffy, setting up for the important parts… y'all know I have to get the peeps back to Bon Temps eventually, so that Eric can wear his pink Lycra pants… Meow!

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**Chapter 21: Owl versus Dove**

"Sookie?" Eric's voice in my ear and his hand rubbing my belly softly woke me up. I'd ended up sleeping on my back, which was unusual for me. I must have tossed and turned.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to sit up. Eric held me down gently.

"Nothing's wrong," he kissed my temple. "They found Farrell and Godfrey. They're both alive. Farrell is weak but well."

I blinked. "Oh! That's good news, isn't it?" In my defense, I was groggy and was trying to make heads and tails of what Eric was telling me.

"Yes, very good news. The Queen was already made aware of your help and she is very pleased. She just called me." Eric was beaming. His plan had worked.

"What about the Fellowship? Won't they know what happened?" I asked. Crazy hate-filled people had a tendency for retaliation.

"They might, though it looks like a human entered the place and robbed it, releasing the vampire by mistake. Godfrey wasn't imprisoned, but Bill was able to talk him into going with Stan's people."

"Bill did that?" He could have told me Bill was a priest and I would have believed him more readily.

"He did. I was very surprised too. So now you can sleep a little better, yes?" he asked, and hugged me to him.

"I was antsy, wasn't I?" I asked.

"Yes, but now you know everyone is alright. Sleep, my love. We have a party to attend tomorrow night. Stan's people are welcoming Farrell back home." It was close to six in the morning and the sun would rise in a matter of minutes. They had cut it close but had accomplished their goal.

I fell asleep easily and dreamt pleasant dreams that I couldn't remember later but made me feel rested nevertheless.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I felt like a little kid, but since Eric was dead to the world, he would never know. In one of the dresser drawers I'd found a complimentary sewing kit with a small measuring tape. Armed with THE measurement, and with a substantial late breakfast resting comfortably in my belly I went to the concierge. I could barely believe all the services I could request. First I asked the nice lady – whose name was Sue, I learned – where I could go shopping, and then I asked her if she could call a cab for me.

"No need for that," Sue said with a huge smile. "We'll have Dave drive you and bring you back." She waved her hand at me like I was being silly, and handed me her card. "This here's the phone number to the desk. When you want Dave to pick you up you call me and I'll send him over. Here he comes now," she said, pointing to a large black Lincoln Town Car.

Golly! _This_ was pampering. I know nobody was giving me a massage, but being driven around the glitzy part of Dallas in a sedan? Yeah… it was a treat. Dave was friendly, and his mind held a lot of thoughts regarding his profession. He didn't give me the creeps, in other words. He gave me a few pointers about where to shop, but I really just wanted to find the one shop. That's where he dropped me off, and where he said he'd pick me up.

As I expected, I was immediately greeted by a very nice salesman right as I walked into the shop. I gave him the THE measurement, and told him what I wanted. He found the perfect one.

"Don't you want one for yourself?" the salesman asked. "Let me show you what we have, before you say yes or no," he said, and led me to a different section.

I ended up with two large bags as I window shopped through the rest of the street. I did come across a Godiva chocolate store and indulged in one piece of chocolate… then bought a box (a small one, of course). Eric would flip when he saw what I had in mind. Well… Chocolate _is_ like a mini orgasm wrapped in deliciousness.

I was done. I wanted to go relax by the pool and catch the sun. It wasn't very hot in Dallas, only in the seventies, so it would be very pleasant to lounge and read a book and do absolutely nothing for a few hours.

Dave brought me back to the hotel and I was lounging by the pool, reading my book and sipping on a girly fruity something or other, when somebody blocked my sun. I'd been joined by none other than Hugo Ayres.

"Mistress Sookie?" He caught me off guard and almost made me spill my drink.

"Hugo? What are you doing here?" I asked, not waiting for the spoken response.

The images I got from his mind were that he was ordered to determine how I had been able to find Godfrey, how I had led the vampires to the Fellowship. I even saw the man who had given the order, though Hugo swallowed the name.

My heart was beating too fast, and my mind was too full to discern what Hugo had actually said. I was hoping that would work in my favor, and he would think I was crazy. I gave him my lunatic smile. "What was that?" I asked, simply because I had to.

Another set of images met me, of what the vampires had done to the Fellowship's headquarters. It looked ransacked, but it was nothing compared to what could have happened to it if the vampires had really let loose. I'd seen the damage that one vampire could make. My imagination didn't really need a workout on that one. Through all this I drew the conclusion that Hugo had led Godfrey to Farrell, the easiest of the targets because of his tastes and comparative youth.

"You must be mumbling because I can't understand you," I said to Hugo, since I hadn't caught a single word that had come out of his mouth.

That sent Hugo into a rage. He started screaming at me and carrying on about me being a fangbanger whore, and some other choice words that I don't care to repeat. Unfortunately for him, I was the guest in this hotel. One very brawny "other" bartender put his huge hand on Hugo's shoulder, just as Hugo hovered over me screaming his obscenities.

"Is he with you, Ma'am?" Mister Brawny asked.

"Absolutely not! He's crazy! I don't even know who he is!" I said, sounding indignant. Well, actually, I was!

Mister Brawny steered Hugo out the doors of the pool area, and probably out of the hotel itself. A cute girl a few years younger than me got close, a human judging by her mental patterns, and sat at the lounge chair next to mine.

"Are you okay?" she asked in a soft voice. Her brown eyes were huge with concern. She was wearing a bikini and a sarong, and the inside of her slim arm bore the signs of what her lover was.

"Yeah… I just need a moment," I said. Amazing what a few words will do to one's adrenaline.

"That was that Hugo, whatever, who's always hanging around Isabel Beaumont like a lost puppy," she said in the same soft voice, but with derision in her tone.

"You know him?" I asked. Maybe she was local.

"My boyfriend and I have been to Stan Davis' house a few times and I've seen him there. You know Stan Davis, right?" she asked.

"I know who he is," I nodded noncommittally.

"Are you going to the party tonight?" Her brown eyes lit up. "I'm Chris… Christina," she said, making it sound like that is how her vampire boyfriend said her name.

"I'm Sookie. I believe we are going to the party tonight."

"With your boyfriend?" she asked, eyeing me carefully. She wouldn't see any marks on me, since Eric hadn't bitten me again after giving me his blood, except a nick on my breast, and that had healed already. Besides, Eric didn't like to bite where others would see, or he would heal the wound if he did.

I bit my lip, thinking quickly about how to answer Chris' question. I decided the truth would be easiest to remember. "My husband and I are attending."

She cocked her head confused, but then smiled like there was nothing out of the ordinary. Chris probably thought Eric was a human who did business with the vampires. "Do you mind if I sit here? The sun is warmer on this side."

Actually, I didn't mind at all. The encounter with Hugo made me feel better about having someone beside me. We talked about what we did, where we were from. She and her boyfriend were visiting from Houston, and she was a college student working on her master's. Nowadays there was such a thing as Vampire Studies. I tried to see her in a different light. She was light skinned, but not pasty white. Her cheeks began turning red under the sun. Her hair was dyed black and cut in short curls that framed her face prettily. I was sure she could do something with those attributes to make herself look Goth, if her black finger and toenails were any indication. She was funny and witty and her brain mirrored her words, so I didn't bother peeking into her mind for long. Chris was just that kind of pleasant person.

Mister Brawny brought me a fresh drink, and brought Chris one the same as me. "On the house, Mrs. Northman," he said, and forced a smile. It's not that he hadn't been polite. I just don't think he was the smiling type.

"Excuse me, what is your name?" I asked him. Maybe I'd write the hotel a letter thanking them for their excellent service and mentioning Mister Brawny's aid.

"I am Anthony," he said, and nodded politely.

"Thank you, Anthony," I said and he walked away back to the bar at the end of the pool area.

Chris was fanning herself. "If only I liked them extra warm. That wolf was hot!" she whispered leaning to me.

I didn't want to sound stupid, so I only guessed he was a werewolf… a Were. The only species of shifter allowed to call themselves simply Weres. Not to confuse them with true shape shifters like Sam, who could shift into any animal they had last seen… no, not seen. Imprinted! That's what Pam had said during my shifter crash course one evening.

Sigh… I missed Pam. She would be having a blast in Dallas. It would have given her a chance to break things at the Fellowship. And make fun of Bill. A lot.

The sun began to set and Chris and I made our way back to our rooms. I stripped to nothing and stood in the middle of the room, waiting impatiently for my husband to rise from the dead. He stirred and took a deep breath, trying to find me by scent alone.

"Wakey-wakey," I said in a sing song voice.

Eric's eyes alighted on me and his gaze turned ravenous. I was naked except for two things. My very own Stetson hat on my head, and the one I was holding in front of me.

"You better know I'm about to fuck you senseless," he said getting up from the bed.

"Not if I do it first," I said, already melting for him. "Tell Mister Happy he needs to hold on a moment there. You need to try on your hat."

"Mister Happy?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow. He reached for his hat and put it on, hair mussed and everything. All cowboys should look this good. Tall. Thick. Naked. I shivered.

I pointed at, well, at Mister Happy. "Him," I said, touching the tip to tease.

Eric grabbed my hand and wrapped it around his cock, already trembling and leaking. "You cannot name this after a dwarf," he said, not letting go of my hand and, in fact, making me rub him all the way up and all the way down.

I frowned, trying to keep some semblance of coherency. I ran my thumb over the tiny bead of moisture, rubbing it into the head lightly, caressing. Eric groaned. I knew a growl would issue forth momentarily. "You're right," I said. "It looks more like gracious plenty to me."

I knelt before him on the plush carpet. I was _thisclose_ to his hardness, but decided to tease him. I occupied my hands by running them up and down his thighs, planting kisses at the junction where his thighs met his hips. I heard him moan softly. It was a delicious sound. It was the sound of my power over him.

I had become a good lover with his gentle guidance, and I knew what he liked. I ran both my hands, palms open, over his penis, stroking him. I landed a kiss on the tip, and licked the new little drop of fluid that had formed. He tasted so good, sweet and salty, like a chocolate covered pretzel.

I looked up and he was watching me as I licked and sucked, running my teeth softly over the tender flesh. His eyes had turned almost black, his pupils dilated tremendously so that I barely see the glacial blue iris. His fangs had run down to their full length. A deep murmur emanated from his chest. Pleasure. I was the source. Even through the black of his eyes I could see his love in them. I could feel his love in me. And the lust I felt was pulsating with his need.

Without warning or knowing how I got there, I was lying on my back, on our bed. Our hats had flown off, but at that moment I couldn't care.

"Jeez! A little warning, lover," I said, missing a breath.

"Call me that again," he said, purring above me with one hand cupping my center.

I looked at him, trying to infuse my gaze and my voice with sex, which was easy to do since I was already breathless.

"Do what you will, my lover," I said.

Eric purred a little louder, almost a growl. I'd never heard him purr before. It was like a sustained growl, and when his tongue met my little nub, those purring vibrations almost made me come undone. I felt one long finger begin its exploration inside me, then another, curling and twisting, looking, finding. A growl began in my own chest as I tried, in vain, not to slam my hips against his hand. He'd found something new inside me, some new spot for pleasure so intense my whole body began shaking. Eric's hand held me down on the bed, his fingers busy, his mouth poised to strike.

"Do it, please!" I begged, looking into his eyes.

He shook his head, and his tongue darted out to mop up the mess I was making. His purring became a growl, the intensified vibrations making a sweet path from my center, out to my limbs. I started to feel the little thrills that heralded my orgasm. I couldn't hold on to anything, my hands failing in their grasp, my knees relaxing at either side of Eric's face, and I opened wider. Just at that moment, when my legs hung open and waiting, he bit my thigh, sinking his fangs and making me scream his name over and over like a chant.

I was only half back into myself when I felt him pull away. I whimpered at the loss: missing him was so immediate. Eric picked me up under my arms, as easily as if I was a toddler. He positioned himself under me, sitting on the bed with my arms and legs around him like a vise. When he thrust up, I pushed down, and we were one. He directed my body over his, bouncing me on him. I held onto his shoulders, throwing my head back in ecstasy. I was so close, so close. But he wanted to draw it out.

"Please, Eric, please," I heard myself say, over and over, asking him for something only he could give me.

He buried his face at my breasts, thrusting deeper and harder, when I felt a sharp pain at my nipple. I was pushed over the edge only to land on a purple sea of pure emotion. I fell back onto him, wanting to prolong the feeling, and bit his shoulder so hard that I drew blood. He convulsed underneath me with a mighty battle cry. I sucked on his shoulder while he sucked on my breast. It wasn't enough that he was inside me. I wanted all of him inside me: his blood, his penis, his fingers. He was thinking that it would always be like this, this good, this holy, this right.

I gasped.

"Eric!"

We came back to ourselves, plummeting to Earth without a parachute. Me because of what had just happened, and him because I'd just yelled his name.

"What? What's wrong? Did I hurt you?" he pulled away to grab my face in his hands and look at me.

I shook my head as best I could in his grip. "I heard you. I heard what you were thinking. I saw how you see me." My eyes smarted. I knew I was about to cry. Between the tangle of emotions after making love and what I'd seen in his mind, my mind and my body couldn't take it anymore.

Eric's worried look melted into a smile, one of those beautiful ones he gave me and only me. "What was I thinking, my love? What do you look like?"

I swallowed. I'd never seen the world through vampire eyes, not really, and I'd finally gotten a glimpse. I finally understood what had made Pam show me fang when she first met me, why stupid Bill couldn't stop looking at me, and why Eric had fallen in love with me so immediately: my skin radiated with warmth, like honey in the sun. My hair shone in different colors of wheat and corn silk. My blue-gray eyes were startling to see, and paired with my pink lips, I was… I was gorgeous! One should wish to be seen like that by the rest of the world. I told him as much and had him chuckling.

"What was I thinking?" he asked, still smiling.

"That you love me and that it will always be like this," I said, a little scared. I wondered whose standard of "always" he'd been thinking about. Did he wish to turn me?

"But you knew that already," he said. We were still tangled in each other, needing the closeness.

"I love you too, Eric," I said, looking at his glacial blue eyes. I wondered what they would look like to a vampire, and then banished that thought. I didn't want to become a vampire. I liked being human just fine. For now.

We whispered sweet nothings to each other, kissing and biting playfully for a few minutes. And then reality came crashing down.

"I forgot to tell you what happened," I said, and told Eric about Hugo, and how Anthony had to come and escort him out.

Eric nodded. "They're just waking," he said, and reached for his phone charging on the bedside table. He called Stan and told him about Hugo. My mental powers had now been tested and would not be questioned. Hugo would be punished. I would feel bad about that later. I could only guess at his intentions, but obviously they weren't good. What had I said to Eric once? People who mess with the weather have no hope of sunny skies. You mess with vampires, you better be prepared to handle the consequences.

"Did I tell you I like my hat?" Eric asked. We were gliding against each other in the shower, trying to bathe together. It was interesting, and soapy. We couldn't have been more obvious if somebody had stamped the word "Honeymooners" on our foreheads.

"No, you didn't exactly tell me, but I think you showed me how much you liked mine," I teased, running my hands over his soapy butt. I loved his butt. It was a nice butt. Nice butt… Nice…

Eric jumped. "What did you just do?"

"What?"

"Touch me again," he ordered. Since I'd been touching his butt, I had no problem following that command. He jumped again and laughed.

"You're ticklish on your butt?" I asked, laughing with him.

"Only because you're touching me like…" he made the same motion as I had done, but on my waist. I jumped. _Shit!_

"You're ticklish on your waist!" he accused.

"Okay, but remember I'm human and I need to breathe. You can't make me pass out from tickling. That's a form of torture, understand?" I asked, because he was wiggling his fingers and looking at my waist with an impish grin.

"Fine. Killjoy," he pouted. He got to tickle me a couple of times anyway.

We had dinner in our room and I told Eric about Chris and her vampire boyfriend, and about the good parts of my day. Eric got a chance to elaborate on the events from the night before.

"It would have been foolish to wait any longer to rescue Farrell," he shook his head. "I'm glad I didn't tell Stan about you before we arrived, or I'm afraid Hugo would have told the Fellowship they were about to be discovered."

"What do you think they'll do to Hugo?" I asked, fearing the worst.

"They won't kill him, but they'll remove him from that which he loves the most."

"Isabel," I said, without a hint of emotion to my voice. Hugo had been obsessed with her, but wanted to hurt her at the same time. It's as if he'd blamed her for his present circumstances, when in reality he'd brought it all on himself.

"Isabel isn't blameless either. She will be punished for not keeping a better eye on him. She blindly trusted him," Eric said, and sipped at the True Blood they'd brought up from the restaurant.

"That's not really fair," I commented, but then thought better about it. Isabel was the sheriff's second. She couldn't jeopardize her nest mates in that manner and not be reprimanded, at least.

I dressed for the party in a simple black sheath dress and wore my ruby earrings. The dress had come with a jacket, just in case I needed to look professional again. I bypassed the jacket altogether, and used a pretty flowery scarf to tie my hair into a low ponytail. Pam was a genius. From now on she could pack my bags any day. Eric looked dapper in a black suit with a burgundy shirt, no tie. He left his hair down, and every woman's head turned to look at my beautiful Norse god of a husband as we made our way out to a waiting car.

Stan's house was hopping, but you wouldn't know it from the outside. There was no need to blast the music, what with the vampires' super hearing and all. They had made a dance floor of the large living room, pushing the couches and chairs up against the wall. Many people were outside as well, enjoying the cool night air at the pool in the backyard.

As we entered we got many head tilts and thank yous from several vampires. They were directed at me, though hesitantly. Eric's possessiveness was at an all-time high, and was scaring away most people. He led me to the dance floor, where he pulled me against him so hard I could barely breathe.

"Honey… they're happy, they mean me no harm," I whispered in his ear, which was kind of easy since he had buried his face at my neck. I was territory to be marked.

A glowing hand tapped Eric's shoulder and he let out a low rumble before turning to see who it was.

It was Farrell. "May I?" he asked, smiling genially. He looked exactly like I'd seen him in Bethany's thoughts, maybe paler.

I squeezed Eric's hand lightly, trying to remind him that Farrell was a friend not a foe. Eric forced a smile and stepped aside, keeping close.

"Miss Sookie. Thank you for… everything," Farrell said. He had a very deep reverberating voice that was soothing in its way.

"It was nothing. I'm very happy you're alright," I said, meaning it.

"I'm better than alright. For a bit there I didn't think I'd make it," Farrell seemed to sigh. We were dancing slowly so we could talk. He looked out the sliding glass door that led to the pool and tilted his head in that direction. "I can't blame him though. I wouldn't want to die alone either."

I followed Farrell's gaze. Everyone that had been outside by the pool had moved inside, except for one person. It was a teenage boy, looking forlorn at the sky with his hands in his pockets. Godfrey.

"Is he alright?" I asked Farrell.

Farrell shook his head. "He's refused to eat, won't even touch the synthetic blood. He says it's lost on him."

"Lost on him," I repeated silently, wondering what it meant. Perhaps his plans to meet the sun hadn't changed, just the location. "Farrell, thank you for the dance. Do you mind if I speak to Eric for a second?"

"Not at all Miss Sookie. Thank you again," he said, dropping his cool hand from my waist and tipping his hat.

As I expected, Eric had heard the whole conversation and was beside me in a flash. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. Do you mind if I go talk to Godfrey for a minute? You can listen in if you want, but I think you should let me do it alone," I said, trying to think. For all intents and purposes, Godfrey was a teenager. Angsty, depressed, and guilt-ridden, no doubt. Nothing in my dealings with vampires told me they had matured beyond their human years. Eric had been a capable man, therefore his success in his endeavors. Pam had been a willful brat, and still was. They might have acquired some wisdom, but their feelings would have remained the same. I had no doubts in my mind that Godfrey was a depressed, suicidal teen. I wondered how Bill had gotten him to come with them, but then Bill might have looked like a father figure to Godfrey.

"I will remain here," Eric said reluctantly.

I left him before he could change his mind, and joined Godfrey outside on the patio. It was a beautiful clear night, and though you could barely see the stars from this suburb, the moon was putting on a show. It looked like a cradle.

"Hi," I said hesitantly. Godfrey turned, as if I'd interrupted his thoughts and he hadn't felt me coming. Maybe that was exactly the case. "I'm Sookie. Are you Godfrey?"

"Yes, but please call me Godric," he inclined his head and then tilted it. "You're the one who knew where to find me."

"Not exactly. Bill did that part. I just figured out you were the last person to be with Farrell," well, kinda, sorta, but I wasn't about to split any more hairs.

Godric smiled weakly at my mention of Bill. "Bill can sure talk some good nonsense."

"Oh? How's that?" I tried hard to keep my tone light.

"He said if I still wanted to die, I should do it among those of my kind, except I can't because they'll burn along with me. So now I'm here, I still want to meet the sun, and now I'll have to do it alone," Godric shifted his gaze back to the sky.

"Why do you want to meet the sun, Godric?" I asked in a quiet voice.

He turned his eyes back to me, and all I could see was sadness. "Sookie," he breathed my name out with some of the air he required to speak. "I've been alive nearly two thousand years. I was turned when I was fifteen years old. My maker died a thousand years ago and I was left alone. In all that time, all I ever wanted was to spend time with people my age. I fed from them; I killed them, countless children, all of them etched in my mind. I can't continue. Now I don't even have to stalk them, they come to me. They know what I am and don't care," he shook his head. "It was a mistake to turn me so young."

I cleared my face of all expression and my mind off all judgment. I wasn't there to judge, as that is not anybody's job but God's. I was there to listen and offer comfort, like the good Christian woman that I am. "If your sincere wish is to leave this Earth, I won't be able to stop you. But have you given this careful thought? Isn't there anything you will miss when you're gone?"

Godric looked at me like I'd grown a second head. "I won't know that I'm gone, will I?"

I shrugged. I had long since made up my mind that vampires had souls. Souls are redeemable. "What if you do know? What if there is a heaven or an afterlife?"

"If there is I won't be going to your heaven, Sookie."

"I think you might. You seem truly repentant for what you've done. But Godric," I put my hand on his arm. He was cooler than the night air. It was as if he pulled on my warmth, "won't there be anything you will miss?"

Godric smiled his sad smile. "I already miss too much. I miss the sun, and the way it warms everything, including your skin, Sookie. I think I might miss you, the first human to speak to me as if I were human too."

I looked down at my feet. The boy was in pain. He wanted to go back home. I could understand that. Even though suicide was not exactly the best way to die, there was no other way for him. He wasn't about to catch pneumonia and die of natural causes.

"There's a vampire in distress because you're speaking to me," Godric said.

I looked up and there was Eric, pacing on the other side of the sliding glass door. "That's Eric, my husband. He gets over-protective sometimes."

Godric arched an eyebrow, and looked from me to Eric, back to me. "You're blood bonded. I haven't seen a blood bonded pair in hundreds of years, not a love one. You must be very special, Sookie."

I shrugged one shoulder. I wasn't sure what to say about the compliment… and what did he mean about a love blood bond? Was there another kind? No sooner had I thought it and my other half walked out, unable to stand being separated from me a minute longer.

"You must be Eric," Godric bowed low, though I would have guessed his age made him much stronger than Eric, even at half Eric's size. "I was about to escort your beautiful wife back inside, but I see you've beat me to it."

"Thank you, Godric. Stan is asking for everyone's presence inside. I believe he's about to make a toast." Eric scrunched his nose at the word. It was hard to toast to anything holding up a bottle of blood, or a human for that matter.

All three of us headed back inside, and I stood next to Chris. She wasn't rocking the Goth look like I thought she would. She was wearing a nice dress, similar to mine but in red. She shot me a huge smile that faded quickly as she took in the nature of my husband. I'd been right: she'd thought Eric was human. "Eric Northman is your husband?" she asked in a hushed tone.

Eric smiled and I hid mine. "Yes. I thought you knew since the Were called me by my last name." Okay, not technically my last name, but whatever.

"I was busy ogling," she said in her defense and shook her head. Chris' quick mind started trying to figure out the nature of a vampire and a human marriage, how legal it could be; the fine print. She was doing a Master's in Vampire Studies, after all. "My God! I need to interview you," she whipped out her cell phone. "Give me your number."

I rattled it off to her in time to grab a champagne flute from a tray that was being passed around by a human waiter. Eric's face made sense now. The blood had been served in the same type of flute as the champagne… Yuk!

Stan was talking about how grateful they were having Farrell back, and welcoming Godfrey/Godric into their home, when something pressed on my mind. I had put up my shields, but I'd relaxed them a bit after hanging out with all the vampires and said-what-she-meant Chris. I dropped them completely but couldn't readily tell what had made me take notice, or where it had come from. Bill got close to our group, making me lose my concentration momentarily.

Then I heard it, not with my ears. It was a countdown. I cast out with my mind wildly, trying to see where the threat was coming from. The house was surrounded by like minds.

"Everybody down!" I shouted, immediately feeling the air knocked out of me as Eric covered me.

Something I learned that night: Vampires don't hesitate when there is mention of a threat. Their sense of survival has been honed and perfected to such a degree, that they become zealous and jealous with their lives. So when the bad men opened fire upon the house, it was the humans who died.

**TBC**


	22. Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal

**A/N: **Difficult chapter, but worth it. I took all of your reviews into account and got to working like a mad woman. Let's just say that my reviewers are my muses, and they're lovely.

I apologize in advance to anyone who lives in Maryland.

* * *

**The Princess: Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal**

by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Now sleeps the crimson petal, now the white;  
Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk;  
Nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font.  
The firefly wakens; waken thou with me.

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**Chapter 22 – Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal**

"Eric!" I gasped. I could barely breathe with his body pressing me to the ground. I'd hurt my tailbone, I knew that much. The pain paled in comparison to the worry. It sounded like semi-automatic rifles were firing into the house, growls, roars and snarls along with screams merging the sounds with the violence. I don't know if the attack lasted seconds or minutes. I had to concentrate, even as I feared that Eric had been hurt. But his feelings were alive within me, and that would have to be my only comfort for now.

I reached out mentally. The gunmen's minds were so full of hatred and images of what they were doing, that it was useless to get any information from their thoughts. I cast out a different net, looking for familiar thoughts or mental patterns. I could count vampire minds by their voids. Many were moving under the bullets to attack the attackers. The minds that concerned me were the desperate human ones, blipping out of my own mind as the life within was extinguished.

The bullets stopped, followed by an eerie silence. Only a few vampires remained inside the house, the rest were giving chase.

Eric moved above me, enough for me to look at him. He was wincing even as he looked me over. He knelt, pulling me to him into a fierce hug. I hugged him just as hard, not bothering to hold back tears. Only the feeble sound of a dying mind made me pull away from him.

"Chris!" I called out. She'd been standing next to us. I looked to my left. She'd been hit by bullets, and was alone and dying. Her boyfriend had left her to chase the gunmen. I crawled to her, holding her hand. Her death entered my mind, her desperation to remain alive. "I'm here, I'm here," I said to her. She couldn't see me.

A small glowing hand took Chris' other hand. "I'm here," Godric said to her. "What do you see, Sookie?" he asked me, not looking away from Chris' anguished face.

"She's scared," I sniffled. "She doesn't want to die. She has too many plans for her life," my voice cracked, but I owed her this, so I continued even with the lump in my throat. "She heard your voice and recognized it. She thinks you're beautiful but she can't see you," I said to Godric. My eyes roamed over her. I didn't even know where she was bleeding from. There was just too much blood glistening in the faint light that was left inside the house.

Without any warning, Godric bent over her and bit her neck, taking one long draw after another. Eric pulled me away because I had been about to push Godric away from Chris. What was he doing? She might have been saved!

"He's turning her," Eric whispered in my ear with a strained voice.

I turned to Eric. Before I had a chance to ask him anything, I saw that Eric had been hit by a bullet too. "Oh, God! Oh, God!"

His jacket was torn at the shoulder, his blood staining his shirt underneath. "It's nothing. The bullet will come out on its own in a minute. It's just very painful."

I looked from his shoulder to his face and back. He'd taken a bullet for me. Had I expected any less? I sank back in my kneeling position, the sobs that I'd held at bay taking over me as more and more minds thought their last prayers. I looked at my bloody hands, twined my fingers, and prayed too. So much death… _Please, God, take them home_…

I heard a soft humming from my left. It was Godric. He was cradling Chris into his small body, letting her drink his blood. There was nothing in her mind. What she was doing was an automatic response, maybe part of the magic too. She was drinking from his neck, and he was caressing her hair as if he was soothing her.

Godric felt my eyes on him and looked up. "I'll take care of her, Sookie," he said, and I knew he wouldn't leave her. He wouldn't meet the sun and leave his child behind. "I've never been a maker," he smiled, and the sadness was gone from his face.

"I have," Eric said. Godric turned to look at him, his eyes wide and expectant. "Do you have somewhere to go with her?"

"I was living in Maryland until recently, but I don't want to take her there," Godric said. Chris had stopped drinking and was now limp in his arms. "Do you think I did this right?" he asked Eric.

"We will know in three days. Come now. We have to get out of here," Eric said. Just as he stood up he doubled over in pain. I stood up immediately, my hands fluttering about him not knowing what to do.

Eric grabbed my hand and held it under his shoulder. A rather large bullet fell on my palm. It looked like a .30 magnum, much larger than my brother used in his gun. What were they trying to kill? Moose? When Eric straightened he looked better, and I breathed in relief.

"Honey?" I put my hand on the hurt shoulder. He smiled reassuringly. He was okay, at least.

He procured keys from Stan, who had remained in his own house and was waiting for the human police. "They're Isabel's. She won't need her car for a long time," Stan said. I really didn't want to know why that was. I was just grateful for the use of a private car since we were all covered in blood.

"Sookie," Eric was driving, with Godric and Chris in the backseat of Isabel's Lexus. "Can you call the hotel and arrange for a room for Godric?"

I did as he requested. I still had Sue's card, and though it wasn't Sue who answered, I got the royal treatment from the new concierge once I explained the situation. The new concierge said the room's key would be waiting for Godric at the concierge's desk as soon as we arrived. Talk about service… I just wanted a long shower and a clean bed where I could cry in private.

"Thank you, Sookie," Godric said from the backseat. He hadn't let go of Chris for a second. He was still cradling her tenderly, and I understood what Eric felt for Pam. I wondered if all vampires were this loving to their children. I knew Eric had said Sophie-Anne was very attached to hers.

At the hotel, we had several vampires approach us. They news had spread like wildfire, so they weren't surprised to see us bathed in blood. However, the smell of Chris' blood all over her had them salivating, which put Godric in a right state, and Eric in another whenever any of their gazes drifted towards me. The concierge in charge was a large "other," and he made the crowd back away from us so that Eric – who was in better control of his protective instincts than Godric – could steer all of us upstairs to our respective rooms.

"Will you be alright for a few minutes? I need to talk to Godric," Eric said as he changed his clothes.

"Wait," I said, examining his shoulder. It was smooth once again, only bloody. "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore," he hugged me close. I really wanted to cry, but wanted to do it alone, so I held back the tears. "I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to you."

Eric pulled away, running his fingers over my face softly. His reverence was a bright light within me. I felt safe inside it, and I knew he would always try to keep me safe. I pulled him to me, claiming his lips, needing his love to ignite. I'd gotten hurt and he was my balm.

He pulled away and put his forehead to mine. "I'll come back quickly, I swear. Godric needs my help," he said, needing to explain because he'd felt my disappointment.

I nodded, knowing my voice would fail me if I spoke. I had to be fair and let Eric help. He left and I stripped my dress, tossing it in the trash can along with Eric's clothes. Even if I could have found someone to remove the blood from it, I didn't ever want to see it again.

Inside the shower I cried while I left my skin raw from scrubbing so vigorously. I didn't want any traces of blood on me. I washed my hair again, twice. And then there was nothing else for me to do inside the shower but cry. Eric's cool hands on my arms startled me. I turned around and sank into him.

"It hurts me to see you cry. What can I do to make it better?" His voice reverberated inside his chest.

"I've never seen so much hate. They were happy with what they did. They felt righteous and vindicated. I think they were from the Fellowship of the Sun, but God only knows if it was something the Fellowship put together or if they acted on their own. I just…" I shook my head, "so many innocent people dead to avenge what exactly? Damage to a building?"

Eric smoothed my hair and tried to soothe me with his touch. I wished he could glamour the memories out of my mind. I indulged my tears for a few more minutes, but then turned him to stand under the water. I washed him, and for once neither of us was feeling lustful during this endeavor. He seemed as eager to wash the blood off as I had been. He scrubbed his hair while I scrubbed his body. We moved silently past each other as we got ready for bed. He brushed my hair and dried it a little while I brushed my teeth. He retrieved my old nightgown, the one I'd brought just in case, while I flossed.

"What happens now?" I asked Eric when we were safely tangled in each other under the covers. I always asked him the same question, I noticed.

"Godric is taking Chris to Shreveport. He sold all his properties when he was getting ready to meet the sun, so he has no place to shelter a new vampire. I'll let him have use of the house I have in Bossier, if that's alright with you," he said.

It seemed like a done deal, so I wasn't about to veto it. "That's fine. He shouldn't stay around here with those awful people from the Fellowship knowing who he is."

"Agreed. We leave tomorrow as soon as we can. I will arrange for our flight and for a coffin for Chris. She will remain dead for a few days and then rise."

"She'll be like Hadley, won't she?" I asked, remembering how my own cousin had tried to eat me.

"I'm afraid she will, though Godric is so old, perhaps his influence over her will be strong enough to curb her baser instincts." Eric dipped his head and took a deep breath at my neck. He brought his head up and kissed my forehead. He seemed to be reassuring himself that I was there, safe and sound. I knew how he felt. "I watched Godric as we spoke," Eric continued. "He will be good to Chris, and I think she's what he needed in order to continue: somebody to look after, to love because she's his to love. Seems to me he's been alone for too long."

"Is that what happened to you?" I asked quietly. I never knew the whole story about how or why he turned Pam.

"Yes," he answered. "I was very lonely, and she had left her house in the middle of the night to meet with a boy. I knew she was strong and willful, even as small as she is. She defied the conventions of her sex and status. Still does."

Again I felt that we shouldn't speak about Pam if she wasn't present, but I needed the conversation to veer away from the events of the night. "Have you ever turned another?"

"No, she was my first child, my only child."

I nodded slowly. There was a new sensation rippling through the bond and I was trying to decipher it. I didn't have to wait too long.

"I would turn you if you asked me," Eric said in a grave voice. There was longing in his tone. That new sensation had a name after all.

I breathed slowly, trying to phrase my answer correctly. "I'm happy with how things are now. That isn't something I want at this time."

"I know, my love. I just want to make sure you know I will do it if you ask me, never against your will or because I'm a selfish old man who wants to keep you forever." He hugged me tighter. His body had retained a little warmth from the shower, and my own body was feeding it.

"Won't you miss my warmth?"

"You're much more than your body temperature," he answered. "Although it feels delightful," he admitted, and wiggled against me, throwing his leg over one of mine. I hiked my free leg high on his hip, snuggling closer and falling asleep after a prayer of thanks for having him still in my life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

My house felt empty. I started turning on lights, with Eric following behind. We'd both been quiet making our way back home from Dallas. I'd pretty much spent all day sleeping off my depression, and now I was wide awake, though still sad.

Eric moved past me to put our bags in the bedroom and when he returned he found me standing in the middle of the kitchen, arms akimbo and looking around me. I was mad at myself. I knew grief was debilitating, but I had to snap out of it already.

"Do you feel like helping?" I asked Eric.

He looked confused. "I'll help you with anything."

"Good," I nodded with a sense of purpose. "Come wash your hands," I said. We both washed our hands. I could feel his confusion and a little amusement as I started taking out ingredients to make cookies. I turned on the oven and got to work.

"Can you measure a cup of flour?" I asked, and he looked dumbfounded. I had to show him everything. It was like teaching a very smart kid, since I only had to show him things once.

Eric was fascinated by the mélange of ingredients, so I let him stir everything together and saved me some elbow grease. "Sookie's cookies," he chuckled.

"Do you want to put them on the cookie sheet? Just put gobs about two inches apart from each other," I said, not waiting to see if he wanted to do it or not. I knew he did. He did it, though the cookies were going to turn out all kinds of sizes. No matter. This was not an exercise in perfection.

"Now what?" he asked as I put the cookie sheet in the oven.

"Now we clean up while we wait for them to bake."

"I can make you cookies now," he said, grabbing the dirty bowl that still had a little batter. "I remember everything you put in them."

I smiled. Super vampire retention of memories… it could come in handy. We cleaned everything, and I decided I was hungry. I'd eaten before leaving Dallas, but that had been about five hours before. I could only keep refrigerated or frozen things in the house, lest they go bad, or I developed a sudden rodent problem. I opened the freezer and stared… _Hmm… dinner?_

"Do you think that's a museum? Why are you staring inside your freezer?" Eric asked behind me.

"I'm trying to figure out what I could make for dinner," I said, and reached for a frozen pizza. That would be easy enough. The oven was already hot.

"Let me help," he said, taking the pizza. This I had to see. He turned the box and read the instructions, nodding.

He remembered where I kept everything, and took out another cookie sheet. He set the unwrapped pizza on it then looked at the oven. "That temperature is not high enough."

"The cookies will be ready in a minute. I'll turn up the heat and then you can put the pizza inside," I said. It was obvious to me, and amazing to watch Eric learn something so foreign to him.

He bent over the frozen pizza and sniffed it, trying to catalog the scents, I supposed. I took out the cookies and they were all shapes and sizes. Eric made a face.

"They don't look like yours," he said.

"I like that one," I said, pointing to one about the size of my hand.

The cookies were cooling on a rack and I was relishing my pizza, which was amazingly good – or maybe I was especially hungry. Eric was sitting next to me, leaning back on his chair with his hands behind his head, watching me eat with a tiny smirk on his lips.

"What?" I asked, returning his smile. I was already used to him watching me eat, but I wondered what the fascination was.

"I haven't eaten in a long time. I was wondering why it seemed so pleasurable."

"Oh!" I looked down at my pizza. How to explain food? It was life, necessary. "This pizza is savory. The bread rose in the oven, so it tastes fresh. The cheese melted and mixed with the tomato sauce. I don't know, it's just good."

"I never had pizza… or tomato sauce. We made bread and a type of cheese, but not like that one," he said, pointing at the melty deliciousness. "We didn't make cookies."

"What did you eat?"

"Mostly meats of various animals. We valued our milk. My…" Eric stopped talking and looked down at the table. "For a treat we had berries preserved in honey or sugar."

"You were going to say something else," I pressed, curious.

"My mother was a good cook," he smiled, but something was off. If we hadn't been bonded I would have dismissed his statement, but I could feel his sadness. It lifted quickly. "You're a good cook too," he said, still smiling, and now it seemed more genuine.

"Ah, but you've only seen me make cookies," I said. What a bullshiter. Plus, who was he to judge? He wasn't eating any of it.

"You're good at everything you do," he said and smiled wider.

We curled up on my couch and watched a late show, with Eric making fun of the commercials.

"It seems they wish me to get rid of my Corvette and buy a Nissan," he said, arching an eyebrow. It was the tenth Nissan commercial. We'd counted.

"Poor Corvette. Hopefully it's okay," I said, not quite remembering the damage. I guessed it needed a new bumper, just like my car.

"Do you wish me to exchange it for the truck?" he asked. He was driving a huge SUV that Pam had gotten him as a rental while our cars got fixed. He seemed to like it, but I knew he held a special place in his heart for the Corvette.

"No, honey. Besides, how many people were you thinking of driving around? You can fit all of Fangtasia in that thing," I said, giggling. I think the SUV had three rows of seats, but I couldn't be sure. Every time I looked at the back it seemed to go on forever. Like a cavern.

"We'd be vampire circus clowns," he laughed, "twenty vampires contorted to fit inside the truck."

We both laughed. We were mending. Everything would be okay and the scare from Dallas would be nothing but a bad memory in the back of our minds. Later we made love, the tender kind, the kind that mended souls.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"He's been like that ever since…" Sam stopped talking. I'd stopped at Merlotte's for a late lunch and brought the cookies I'd made the night before.

"Ever since Lafayette," I finished for him, feeling a quick stab of pain somewhere near my heart.

We were both looking at a drunk and depressed Andy Bellefleur. He'd been put on leave while Alcee Beck and Bud Dearborn conducted the investigation into Lafayette's death. He was the obvious suspect, though I didn't see it that way. His brain gave nothing away, just lots of confusion and self-deprecation (my new Word of the Day). It all seemed to stem from the fact that he couldn't stop drinking, not because he'd killed somebody.

"Can I talk to you?" Sam said, pointing at his office with his head.

I followed him and he closed the door. "I've been… meeting… with someone who knows you," he began.

"Who?" I asked, smiling. Maybe it was an old friend.

"Her name is Phaedra. She's a maenad," Sam said in a very low voice.

My eyes were about to bulge out of my head. "Yes, she met me at the side of the road about a week ago. She said she was trying to protect me."

"She was," Sam said with utter conviction. "She says you don't know what you are, but she does, and wants to tell you. But she's scared Eric will try to hurt her. She was very sorry her snake attacked you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was busy, I'm sorry. Besides, I didn't know what to tell you exactly. What is the nature of your meetings with her?" I asked, confused.

Sam smiled sheepishly. "She's a sort of shape shifter. We've been hunting as panthers."

I had to sit down. "What are you hunting?"

"Rabbits and possums, Sookie. What do you think?"

I held my hands up. "Okay, okay. Look, I've had a really horrible week, starting with a freaking cottonmouth biting my leg and ending with a massacre…"

"You were there?" Sam interrupted. "You were at that house in Dallas?"

I nodded looking up from where I had sagged into a chair. He knelt in front of me and took my hands. I scrambled to shield from him. "I'm so sorry," he said and meant it with all his heart. I hadn't been able to shield all his thoughts. "When you said you were going to Dallas, I didn't really connect the dots."

"So… Phaedra wants to meet me?" I asked, trying to steer Sam back to his point.

"Yes. I'd be with you. You'd be perfectly safe. That is, if you want to know what you are. You may not want to," Sam's voice had a warning in it.

"Let me think about it. I need some time, some peaceful time. We're going to be really busy at Fangtasia, what with Halloween just around the corner, and I need some time to work through everything that's happened," I answered.

"Of course. I will tell Phaedra your wishes, so she doesn't go looking for you," he paused, searching my face. "Other than the bad things, are you okay?"

I smiled. "If you mean how things between Eric and me are, everything's good. We're getting used to married life, I suppose."

"He's treating you right?"

"Of course, you know that," I said. My ears perked at the same time as Sam's. There was a commotion out in the bar.

We both ran out of his office, to find Andy fighting with his sister Portia, who had come to pick him up. It was just words, but they were mean and loud. Portia was nearly in tears. After all, she was a busy lawyer, and had made time to come get her brother during the middle of the day. Sam sat Andy down and gave him a stern talking to, while I took care of Portia.

"Are you okay? Do you need some water?" I asked her. She hadn't ever been friendly to me, but that didn't mean I wasn't going to help her.

"No, thank you, Sookie," she said politely, taking out a tissue from her purse and dabbing her eyes. She looked up at me, eyes wide. I knew what she wanted before she said it out loud. "Maybe you can see who hurt Lafayette and help Andy," she whispered. Nobody liked to acknowledge what I could do until they needed my help.

"It doesn't work that way," I said. It was true too. What were the odds that Lafayette's killer was going to be in my vicinity _and_ thinking about his crime all at the same time? Astronomical.

"Please do what you can. Our grandmother has been in distress since all this started, and she's not doing too well," Portia said, appealing to my softer nature.

_Fuuuck!_ "Okay, Portia. I'll try my best."

I drove to Jason's, meaning to meet him there right after work and before I had to get ready for work myself. He had just arrived when I got there.

"Sooks! What brings you here?" he asked, and actually gave me a half hug, since he had groceries in his other hand.

"I wanted to see how you and Tina were getting along," I said. It was partly true. The whole truth was that the stuff in Dallas had made me realize my priorities. Jason was my only family, and I was his only family. What would have happened to him if I'd died at that house? I didn't think he'd be able to deal with the loss. He wasn't as strong as he looked.

"She's doing good. She already has all her shots and an appointment for spaying next month. Come on." Jason opened the door, and I was met by the tinkling sound of a bell. Tina came out of hiding and perched on the back of the sofa, greeting me with a soft meow.

"Hi, sweetie," I pet her, noticing Jason had gotten her a fancier collar than the one I'd gotten her, plus a tag with her name and his phone number attached to it along with the bell.

"The bell is so she can't sneak up on birds. Sometimes she sneaks out and stays outside all day, but she sleeps inside. Her bed's over there," Jason pointed at a corner of the living room. I knew that corner. It got sunshine during a few choice hours of the day. "How did it go in Dallas?" he asked, handing me a cold Coke.

I told him everything, and he remained mostly stoic, until I told him about Eric taking a bullet to shield me. "He did that?" Jason asked; his mouth fell open.

"He can't get killed by a bullet, but I can," I shrugged. "The bullet sort of popped out on its own after a few minutes. They used something big, a .30 magnum from the looks of it."

"Holy shit, Sookie! They use those on elk or moose. They cause a lot of damage," he said and I nodded. Yes, I knew exactly how much damage they caused.

We talked for a little longer, until I had to go so I could get ready for work. It had done me good to talk to him and tell him everything I'd gone through. He had reacted with the proper amount of outrage, and blamed the Fellowship for everything bad, never once badmouthing the vampires. Maybe I was making some leeway with him.

Eric was just waking up when I got home. I told him everything about my day, including Portia's request.

"Are you going to do it?" he asked. His hands were roaming freely over me, tugging at the button of my jeans.

"I don't know yet. Honey we gotta get ready," I said. His hand had made its way inside my jeans.

Eric grumbled, but withdrew his hand. I hated to see him like that: ready, wanting, frustrated. One of the main problems was that I could feel what he felt, so I became ready, wanting and frustrated as well.

"You're going to kill me," I said, and pulled him to the bathroom with me. We'd have to kill two birds with one stone.

His smile was devious as he watched me strip, and as soon as I did he claimed my mouth and moved us inside the shower. I held onto his neck, and he helped me put my legs around him. Instead of using the cold wall as leverage, he simply moved my body on his hardness.

"I can't get enough of you. Why can't I get enough of you?" he grunted, moving me faster.

"Eric, I love you, I'm yours." He filled me completely and began moving me faster over him.

"Mine, my Sookie. Mine," he held me steady and thrust inside me with every word. "Come for me, I want to hear you. Let me hear you. Say my name."

"Eric," I panted. "Eric. Eric!" I couldn't say his name anymore. He'd sunk his fangs into my neck and I was undone, not letting go of his neck only by the grace of God. My spasms milked a climax out of him, and he curled into me shouting something into my breast.

We disengaged slowly, reluctantly, our lips refusing to disentangle. He smiled and chuckled into the kiss.

"What's funny?" I asked, and kissed his lips some more.

"You're not shy around me anymore," he said and pulled away to give me a huge smile. He'd won, and he knew it.

I made a show of an exasperated sigh. "There's no point now. You've seen more of me than my own doctor."

"Yes," he agreed and waggled his eyebrows.

We eventually made it to Fangtasia. We weren't late but were cutting it close. Pam was furious with Eric but glad to see me. "I needed her early to talk about the Halloween party," she said, striking her mad pose.

"Talk now. I have to check the mail," Eric said and sat at his desk.

"Fine," she said to Eric then turned to me. "I'm sorry, Sookie, but we're nixing the Harry Potter theme."

For some reason she thought I would be hurt by that. I shrugged. I was game for anything as long as I wasn't running around naked. "Okay, what did you have in mind?"

TBC


	23. I Will Steal You

**A/N: **Something happened on the way to the forum… I had ten pages written about Halloween at Fangtasia, but it just wasn't clicking for me. Then I had a revelation. I erased everything I had and started over… so I'm a bit apprehensive and not sure how this will be received.

I was told that there are no possums in the U.S (shout out to my Netherlander reviewer who pointed that out). That is correct. We have opossums (and they's some ugly critters)… but in Maryland, where I live, we're so lazy we drop the O – Hubby says the O is silent, I dunno. I don't know if they do that in Louisiana too, but let's just say they do, and Sam was actually talking about opossums.

We're going back and forth between Sookie and Eric's POV. It's pretty easy to follow who's who. Without further ado…

* * *

**Chapter 23 – I Will Steal You**

I didn't know what had happened. All I knew was that my back hurt like a bitch and I felt like I was waking up mired in mud. I tried to move but couldn't, and that right there made me panic. But my body refused to panic along with me. It was separated from me.

_Think, Sookie, what was the last thing you remember?_ I had been to Lafayette's funeral, and had stayed behind to visit Gran's grave. When I approached it I saw a man, the same man I'd seen at her funeral, the one I'd compared to a vampire. He was leaning against Gran's brand new marble tombstone, the one that had been placed there just the week before. In his crouched stance I couldn't tell if he was crying or praying, and I didn't want to interrupt, so I'd stayed back. The man looked over his shoulder, sort of seeing me but not, stood up and left towards the woods north of the cemetery. I'd found it mighty odd, but I didn't want to intrude into somebody else's grief. When I approached her grave, I found he had left one single bloom of a flower, a flower that looked remarkably like the brooch I was wearing on my gray suit: lilac-colored petals with a large yellow center and leaves the color of mint.

After saying a few prayers at Gran's grave, I'd gone to Cleo Hardaway's house, which had more room than Lafayette's family's house to host his friends and mourn him properly. Sam was there briefly but had to leave. I was talking to Mike Spencer about… _What had we talked about?_ Eric.

I had to call to Eric. Whatever was wrong with me was not normal. I wasn't home, I could smell it. The place smelled old and stuffy, and like suntan lotion. If I didn't know any better I would have said it was a lake house, the kind that dot some of the lakes (natural or otherwise) around the area.

I knew I couldn't call to Eric if it was daytime. I would not put him through that agony. He would come. He would burn trying to get to me. I clamped down on my panic and tried to think. I had to make heads and tails of this situation, and see if I could get myself out of it. I tried to remember…

Cleo Hardaway had given me a Coke, and we continued talking. Then I felt dizzy and sick to my stomach. She bustled about me and I sagged into her, grateful for her comfort. She was a lunch lady at my old high school, and had always had kind things to say to me. Try as I might I couldn't remember anything between sagging against Cleo and waking up in this place.

Was I even really awake? I couldn't move. Only my mind was working, and not very well. I couldn't hear anybody else's thoughts. Had somebody taken me against my will, or was I sick? Either way, there should have been somebody there to look after me, I thought.

I tried to see if there were any minds nearby. I came up with a couple, but they weren't thinking anything in particular. I kept listening. Neither of them was easy to decipher, and I wondered if it was because I was immobile and my brain had become addled. I kept getting pictures, like those pictures you get when you're trying to sleep and you're upset: tangled demon bodies, dark, glistening with some oily substance. _What the hell?_

"I wonder what she tastes like," said a male voice. I wasn't sure if it was someone's stray thought, or if it was an actual spoken phrase. I kept listening as best I could, but I couldn't catch anything. I didn't know if the person was talking about me, or thinking about me. Such a thought wasn't alien to me, but for somebody to actually say that out loud…

"I'm here!" announced a very loud female voice. She was a great sender, so I latched on to her mind immediately. I could see me as I lied on a sofa inside a cabin. I spared a thought to the fact that I'd been right. My senses were still acute even after more than two weeks without Eric's blood. The woman was holding up several bottles of Red Stuff, the cheapest blood substitute. And she was thinking she'd make dinner first, before the party. _What party?_

Then she imagined me naked in the same position I was in. If my body could have, I would have convulsed. The next images had me scrambling to shield my mind, but I couldn't. I couldn't stop the onslaught of everything that woman wanted to see men do to me. I didn't know if they were wishes, or something that was going to happen for sure, but it was a fine line of distinction that I did not care for anybody to cross.

"How much did you give her?" asked the male. He had been speaking aloud, after all. I still couldn't get his mind. He was just that kind of person. Some minds are easier to read than others, and his wasn't easy to read at all. I could barely get images and they weren't anything concrete.

"Enough to knock her out for four hours, it seems," a different female voice said. This was Cleo's voice, I knew it. She'd given me something, spiked my drink. I took the drink from her without thinking. Why in the world would I suspect Cleo of spiking my drink, and for what purpose? At the get-together I'd been heavily shielded from the mourning, and hadn't seen this coming. How could I? I'd trusted Cleo as much as I'd trusted Mrs. Fortenberry!

_Think Sookie!_ I'd gotten to Cleo's a little after one in the afternoon. Four hours had passed. It had to be well after five, because I'd been at the get-together for some time before I passed out. If I could open my eyes… if I could see what kind of light was coming in from the windows… Could I call to Eric now? I decided not to wait any longer. If I waited and these people followed through with their wishes… I didn't want to think about it. Only one person had touched me without my permission, and I had sworn that it would never happen again.

I called to Eric the only way I knew how, by repeating his name in my mind over and over. He'd told me we had the ability to do that, to call to each other, but he didn't explain how to work it. Something inside me moved, shifted, and I felt the intense desire to not only get the hell out of that cabin, but go west. It was him, he was calling me too. The only problem was… _I can't move!_

Or could I? I could tell I was the one in charge of my breathing now, and I could regulate it. Could I open my eyes? Not yet. Could I move my hands? Only a finger or two.

"I think she's starting to come around. Do you really think she's into this?" Cleo had asked the question. Her thoughts had turned apprehensive. _You spiked my drink, bitch! And now you're sorry?_

"I betcha she does. She's a fangbanger! I betcha she likes it rough. Don't you sweetie?" the man said. He touched my thigh, lifting my skirt as his hand started moving up. I managed a whimper, when what I really wanted to do was scream at the top of my lungs. "See? She likes it." His touch on my skin was transmitting his thoughts better. He definitely wanted to have sex with me, and was imagining me in every depraved position he could muster. I couldn't see his face inside his thoughts, but I knew he was white. I could see the way he had… raped… Lafayette. Lafayette had cried, but somebody else had held him down, choked the life out of him. _Jesus Christ, please… don't abandon me…_

"Hello, hello!" called out a new voice. It was Mike Spencer. Bile started to rise in my throat, but I managed to swallow it. Another part of me was working. Somehow it should have been a comfort. "Aww… she's so pretty. Can I take a peek?"

"Go ahead," the one man moved and let Mike take his place. The only way I could tell was by the sudden shift on the sofa where I was lying.

_Eric, Eric, Eric! Please…_ I felt tears running down the sides of my eyes, and Mike Spencer's clumsy fingers taking off my suit jacket and unbuttoning my shirt. When he touched my skin I saw what intentions he had, what he wanted to do with my breasts at that very moment.

My eyes and mouth finally worked, and I opened them both at the same time to let out a scream. If I could have moved, I would have hit Mike Spencer so hard, he would have landed several feet away from me. He ignored me completely, as if I'd just said "hello, how are you."

"Are you sure she's a fangbanger? I don't see any marks," he said, moving my neck this way and that. "Unless they're down here. Are they down here, Sookie?" he asked me as his hand started making its way up my thigh too, with his thumb exploring the inside of it.

My heart was hammering wildly now, and I couldn't catch my breath. That familiar buzzing sound started pressing against my ears. "I don't want this. Please don't do this," I blurted out. It came out slurred, like I'd been drinking too much.

Mike was about to say something when everything stopped. Everybody within my line of blurry vision was looking intently at the front of the cabin. One by one they filed out, and I was left alone. I dared to speak his name out loud in a harsh sob. "Eric, please… Where are you?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Sookie wasn't home, and at first I didn't think anything of it. But something was off. Usually I awoke with Sookie's emotions thrumming gently in my consciousness. They were there, but they were muffled. I got dressed slowly, examining the bond. Sookie was going to Bon Temps to her friend's funeral, probably stayed for the get-together afterwards. She should have been back by now.

I checked my phone. No messages. I called her phone. No answer. I called to her, the way I can call to my child, but it didn't work. Either she wasn't able to feel my call, or else she…

I suddenly felt it. I felt her pull on me. _She_ was calling to _me_, desperation flooding our bond. I took to the sky and headed east. The last rays of the sun touched my skin and burned me a bit, but I couldn't care. I couldn't lose her. Sookie was my life, my half. If anything happened to her, it wouldn't be like losing a child. It would be like losing my soul. I would die along with her, of that much I was sure. Better to keep her alive. I'd never flown faster.

During the time it took me to reach Sookie's house, her desperation had given way to cold unrelenting fear. I was tuned to her, but not enough. She hadn't had my blood in too long. She wasn't at her house, but perhaps I could follow her scent from here, and then kill whoever had made her scared. They better not have hurt her, because I was very ingenious when it came to torture.

"Viking!" said a female voice from the woods behind Sookie's house. It was the maenad, naked and terrible. Even from afar her smell was rancid, like that of rotting meat. It was her defense against blood-drinking demons.

"What have you done to her?" I asked, getting close to her, but not too close. I did not want to incur the rage of her god. Again.

"I have done nothing to anyone. Where is your bonded?" she asked, looking like she truly did not know where Sookie was, and really wanted to know.

"Somebody has her. If not you, then who?" I raised my voice. I needed answers. Sookie was scared, and I was scared for her. I felt vulnerable for the first time in… too many years.

The maenad's eyes became wide with fear of her own. "No! Not her. Follow me Viking," she said, and turned into a panther. She ran through the woods agilely, and I ran with her, keeping up easily. I couldn't smell Sookie through the woods, but the maenad seemed to know where she was, and I had no other choice but to follow. The maenad took me to a lake, where we were joined by a second panther. I could tell it was a shifter, but wasn't sure if it was Sam Merlotte, or someone from Hot Shot, and at that moment I needed Merlotte.

"Sam Merlotte. Please tell me that is you," I said to the panther. It seemed to nod, though I wasn't sure what was left of the man when he turned into a beast. I hoped it was enough to help.

It must have been easier for the maenad than for a true shifter to turn at will, and soon she was a woman again. "See that house, next to the lake? That's where they have her. That's where they killed her friend. If you go in there and kill everybody, your bonded will never forgive you."

The maenad spoke the truth. "I have to get her out. She is in agony." My voice had come out like a growl, and I started moving forward. I didn't care if Sookie never forgave me, as long as she was alive and whole. I could hear her scream. It tore at my insides like somebody had just driven a stake through me.

"Let me do it. She doesn't trust me, so I have nothing to lose," the woman said, and moved forward faster than me. The panther was at her heels. "Stay in the shadows and go get her when everybody is outside of the house," she ordered.

"Fine maenad," I said, cross. I wanted to get this over with and get Sookie out. She better be safe. She better be whole.

"The name is Phaedra."

"The name is Eric."

"That's better, isn't it?" she smiled. She was a fucking lunatic.

I got close to the house but stayed in the shadows, while she called to whoever was inside and bid them to go outside. It's what she did when she called upon her god.

Sookie was whimpering, pleading. My urge to strike was fierce, but I had to trust the maenad would draw them out and that they hadn't done anything to my mate, because if they had I would not care about Sookie hating me forever. I would seek revenge.

Footsteps filed out of the house, and I could hear Sookie cry my name and ask where I was. I entered through a window and found her by scent. Something was off about it, like she had been drugged.

"Eric, please," she sobbed, daring to say my name aloud because she was alone.

"I am here my love," I knelt beside her and her eyes fluttered.

"I can't move," she cried.

I picked her up, and her body was completely limp. I was surprised she could even open her eyes or speak. What had they done to her? She was missing parts of her clothes, and her blouse was unbuttoned.

They were going to rape her.

The knowledge hit me and I almost lost it. More damage. More damage to my precious beloved. As it was they probably raped her in thought, and she had read each and every single mind's intention. A garbled cry escaped my throat, mirrored with one of hers.

I made my way out slowly through the front door. The maenad had every person that had gathered there within her sights. Whatever powers she was exerting over them, they didn't affect me or Sookie.

"Eric," Phaedra said with a lilt in her voice. "When I'm done I will need your help with your mind-bending capabilities. The murderer of Sookie's friend cannot go unpunished." She looked feral, her features turning into that of a panther. Sam joined her, and I didn't really want Sookie to witness any of what was about to happen.

Phaedra's god would be angry with these people for raping an innocent. A true bacchanal was supposed to be consensual, fun, a worship of the god. These people had twisted it into something perverse. And here I thought vampires were the perverse ones. Humans could be just as cruel, and they didn't have the ability to erase people's memories of the event.

"They killed Lafayette. They thought I would like what they were doing to me," Sookie said, soaking my shirt with her tears.

"What did they do to you Sookie?" I asked. I knew my voice was strained. We were outside in the woods. I leaned her against a tree and took off my shirt, putting it on her. She needed whatever extra warmth I could provide, which wasn't much. The night had turned very cold.

"They took off my clothes and they started touching me," she said. Her voice had taken a different cadence. I thought she would still be fearful, but everything told me she was angry. "I want them dead," Sookie said in a small voice, as if saying the words alone were a sin.

"If the maenad doesn't do it, I will," I promised her. Nothing would satisfy me more than to drain a couple of bodies, dismember them, and burn them inside that cabin.

But first things first. "Dear one, let me give you my blood to get those drugs out of your body," I said, not waiting for an answer. I sat next to her and cradled her close, giving her my wrist. She drank without protest and soon her scent was back to normal. I felt aroused, but my thirst for revenge warred against my thirst for Sookie. Revenge was winning.

"I feel better, and now I don't have to hear them. The drug… I couldn't shield their thoughts from me," she said in a low grave voice. She must have been feeling what I was feeling.

I heard the maenad call me in a sing-song voice. "Oh, Viking! Come do some damage."

"Stay here," I ordered Sookie, getting up.

"No. I'm coming with you," she said, getting up too, though with effort.

"Sookie," I warned her with my voice.

"Eric," she warned me with hers. "If it gets to be too much, I'll leave," she said, and I couldn't deny her this. It would be the only time she would get immediate revenge.

We made it to the clearing, and there were two bodies lying on the ground, with wounds to their necks, their blood wasted in a pool beneath them. At any other time I would have drank whatever was left, but I thought better of it. Sookie needed me the way she knew me, the one in control.

"These two killed Sookie's friend," the maenad pointed at two men.

"Oh, my God! Eggs!" Sookie yelled from my side, and ran to him. "You fucking, no good, son of a bitch! You sick bastard!" She hit him hard in the gut. I knew she was not the hitting kind, so obviously something else was going on. "He's engaged to my friend Tara! Lying piece of shit!" She hit him again, this time in the groin with her knee. He hadn't retaliated. He was still under the maenad's spell.

Sookie turned to the other man. "I hope you rot in hell," she said in a low menacing voice, and hit him in the throat, hard. My blood inside her had taken full effect, and she was very strong. The man collapsed, gasping for air, before she kicked him and returned to me. She was shaking.

"I don't care to know who that panther is or who killed those women. Do what you need to do. I wanna go home now," she commanded. She stood with her back to the scene in front of the house.

I glamoured the men into forgetting tonight and into feeling so guilt-ridden that they went to the police to confess to the murder of Sookie's friend, as well as the murder of the women in front of the house. The bite marks on the women's necks were a telltale sign that it hadn't been done by humans, so I moved both bodies to the house, and set it on fire by allowing a set of curtains to touch the flame of the stove in the little kitchen. The maenad, the panther, Sookie and I watched for a few minutes as the house became engulfed in flames.

"They'll confess to arson as well," I said, to no one in particular.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, I'm so stupid!" I berated myself. After everything that had happened, I had forgotten that Gran's brooch was on the jacket that had gotten burned inside the lake house.

"Sookie, you were in shock," Pam said, trying to soothe me in her very Pammy way. In other words, she wasn't doing a very good job, but I appreciated the effort anyway.

A thought had begun to form, that none of the bad stuff I had experienced lately would have happened if I wasn't Eric's wife. I knew, though, that if I wasn't Eric's wife I would be Sophie-Anne's indentured servant. _Jesus Christ, Shepherd of Judea, one of these days I might kill Hadley._

"Are you hungry?" Eric asked. He was trying. I'd been pacing my small living room since we'd gotten home. His blood had cured me and rid me of the drug, but it had also made me antsy. And horny. But my brain wasn't following along with my body. My brain was running a million miles an hour, trying to see where the next threat would come from.

"Obviously the maenad wasn't bad," I said, following my own scattered train of thought. I saw Pam and Eric exchange a glance. "What? Tell me."

"She's waiting outside," Pam blurted out, and earned herself a murderous glare from Eric. "She won't harm Sookie."

"I need to see her," I said, remembering my conversation with Sam.

I pretty much ran outside, and Phaedra came out from behind a tree. She was naked, and I just couldn't deal with that right now. "Phaedra, I would love to speak to you. I know you've been looking for me. Would you accept one of my dresses so we can have a civilized conversation?" I asked, trying to sound polite.

"Yes, thank you," she said, also polite. I ran back inside the house, past the two vampires who had followed me outside, and grabbed a blue button down dress. When I returned she put it on right away.

"You've given me a gift. My god will be very pleased with you," Phaedra said and touched my cheek. Her thoughts didn't transfer at her touch. All I could see was the colors of her mind.

"Don't mention it. So… What was it you wanted to tell me?" I asked, suddenly curious. I'd thought I wanted to wait, since there had been so much information swirling in my mind lately. I found myself not wanting to wait anymore.

Phaedra looked beyond me, to Eric. "This concerns you too, Viking," she said, and waited until he stepped forward. He laced his fingers through mine and stood next to me. It's as if he already knew what she was about to say. "Sookie, you're part fairy."

I blinked, thinking Tinkerbell, Cicely Mary Barker, _A Midsummer Night's Dream_… "What?"

Eric sighed. He had known, or suspected, because I had expected him to be a little more surprised than that. "At some point your predecessors mated with fairies," he explained.

My mind was reeling. "I need some time," I heard myself say. Pam was by my side and helped me back into the house. I sat on the couch and then decided that I was allowed to curl up. Pam put a blanket over me and I closed my eyes.

Eric sat on the chair beside my head, and Pam sat at my feet. And there they stayed all night until it was time for them to sleep.

**TBC… Review, review, review… **


	24. Fine Again

**Chapter 24 – Fine Again**

Of all the things to feel, I was feeling guilty for having kept Eric's shirt. He kept clothes in my house, but hadn't bothered getting another shirt, and so he stayed shirtless all night, and was now sleeping in the cubby hole shirtless. Pam was in there with him. I felt envious. I wanted to be the one sleeping inside that light-tight space with him, if I could have slept at all. All night I had drifted in and out, never truly sleeping. I was still curled up on the sofa when my doorbell rang. I really didn't want to get it, but how many people ever came to my door?

I got up slowly and asked who it was before opening the door. The last thing I needed was someone to come into my house with nefarious purposes, like reading the electric meter.

"It's Sam," was the response.

I opened the door despondently and didn't even look at Sam before turning away from him and curling back up on the sofa. There was no doubt in my mind that the panther the night before had been Sam. I was grateful, apprehensive, scared, awed. I took those feelings with me back to my pity party on the couch.

Without a word, Sam closed the door and followed, setting a large Styrofoam cup of coffee and a greasy bag on the coffee table. "You brought me breakfast?"

"Something tells me you haven't eaten in a long time," he said, and sat on the chair that Eric had occupied all night.

"Something or someone?" I asked, eyeing the bag and the coffee. Judging by smell alone the coffee had tons of creamer and sugar, and there were beignets in the bag. Those were a few of my favorite things.

"A very worried pair of 'someones,' yes," Sam admitted. He put his hand on my hair, smoothing it softly. "This is new territory for them. Vampires don't get depressed, but they certainly know how to worry."

"I gave them a lot to worry about," I concurred, sitting up. I really was hungry. I flipped the lid and took a sip of coffee. It tasted like heaven in a cup. The beignets were calling as well, and I was soon covered in powdered sugar, probably up to my eyebrows.

"I hope you're not blaming all this on yourself," Sam said with a frown. I had made myself look at him and be polite. He'd brought me breakfast, after all.

I shrugged. I knew I shouldn't have said anything about Eric to Mike Spencer, even though the conversation hadn't been very specific. Mike had asked me if I was dating, and I said yes. He asked me for a name and I said Eric's. Mike seemed to know him, and I wondered from where but didn't ask. That had been the extent of our conversation, but from it Mike had deducted I was a fangbanger.

Sam took a deep breath and let it out with a puff. "Those people were deranged. You were not the first person they drugged, and wouldn't have been their last. They messed with the wrong person this time, because you have so many people who care about you and who can do real damage."

Something inside me twisted. "Sam… did you kill Cleo and that other woman?" I asked in a tiny voice. I just couldn't muster anything louder.

"No, Phaedra did that. Her magic is more powerful when I'm nearby," he explained.

I nodded slowly, not really sure what to make of the information. Probably nothing. I had no magic of my own, so it didn't really matter. "Turns out I'm part fairy," I blurted out without any sort of preamble.

Sam smiled, unsurprised. "You're imagining Tinkerbell, aren't you?"

"Yeah, sorta. What other reference do I have?" I asked, feeling a little defensive. "Did you know it too?" I pressed, my voice rising.

"No, Sookie, but it makes sense that you're a supe with your mental powers. And what do you mean _too_? Who else knew?" Sam asked, his voice rising too, but he didn't look truly irate.

"Eric knew. He wasn't surprised at all when the maenad told me."

"Sookie, think about it. The man has been around for a very long time. He hasn't survived on brute strength alone. It is very possible he suspected you were something more than human. You certainly have powers no other human has." Sam was making sense, and I was getting a feeling of déjà vu. Eric had already told me I was some kind of supernatural being, but hadn't guessed what kind.

"As for fairies," Sam continued, "they look very much like humans. I haven't seen many, but the ones I've seen have been very beautiful. If they live on this side of things, they usually wear their hair long to hide their pointy ears. Other than that, everything about them is human, except for their ability to look ethereally beautiful to humans."

Well, shoot! I thought that about vampires. "Where in the world did you see a fairy?" I mumbled.

"Here and there. There aren't that many because they're severely allergic to iron and lemon."

"And when you say 'this side of things,' what do you mean?"

"As far as I know they hop back and forth between this one and another dimension," Sam said, as if the fairies got in their cars and hop scotched it between Bossier and Shreveport. Sam sighed, seeing my skepticism. "All I know is that there are other supernatural beings out there, and fairies are one type of many. They're also intoxicating to vampires, and like to do battle for silly reasons. I suspect it's because they get bored. They live for a very long time, though not as long as vampires, and they age…" Sam's voice drifted and he averted his eyes from me. "And they can mate and procreate with humans."

We both fell into silence, until it was deafening and I couldn't stand it anymore. "So I'm part fairy," I concluded.

"Only a very small part, otherwise I would have been able to guess it too, and I couldn't. But don't let that bother you so much, Sookie. It's not like discovering you can change into animals while you're in the throes of puberty," Sam smiled. It was a sad smile, and put things in perspective.

Poor Sam. I hadn't even thought about that, always so selfishly thinking about my own predicament and completely forgetting his. Pam had said any kind of shifter had to chance at the full moon. They had to. It was imperative. Sam was more powerful than most, and could change at will into anything.

"How do you imprint on an animal?" I asked, following my own askew thoughts.

"Easy. I keep a book on different animals, usually open to a picture of a collie. I look at the picture, and imagine myself that way. I can also imprint by seeing the actual live animal."

"What did you first turn into?"

"A dog we kept at home. It was a small one. My mom knew something was up when she saw there were two of us," Sam chuckled.

"Is your mom a shifter too?" I asked, suddenly very curious about Sam's past.

"Yes, and so was my father. I'm the first born so I'm the only one who can shift. My brother and sister are plain human."

"Plain human," I sighed. I'd wanted to be plain human for such a long time.

Sam caught my shift in mood. "I wish you'd have been plain human too," he said, putting a very warm hand on my neck. Before I had a chance to register his hazy thoughts, his lips were on mine. The first thing I thought was how warm Sam was. The second thing I thought was that he tasted sweet, like he'd had coffee and beignets too. The third thing I thought was that I probably shouldn't be returning his kiss, particularly since he was tasting me too, plying my lips with his tongue.

I pulled away and looked down. "I love Eric," I said, feeling the conviction in my words. Whether it was the bond talking or my own heart, the truth was that now I belonged to Eric, and he belonged to me. I loved him, and he loved me. Sam's kiss suddenly tasted like betrayal.

"I'm sorry," Sam said. "I'm so sorry, Sookie. Please forgive me." He stood up and left, before I could say that I forgave him.

I took a long shower, using up all the hot water. Since I couldn't rest, I decided to make myself tired. After taking my shower, I dressed to do outside work. It was getting cold, and the garden needed to be pruned and readied for the winter. I'd seen Gran do it countless times, but I wasn't one for gardening. How hard could it be?

I pruned everything, hoping I was doing it right, and then set to dig out weeds. I realized that maybe I should spend more time in the garden. It was cathartic, like the time I'd dug that hole. Now I had two homes with plenty of space for gardening. And a condo, I'd learned recently. Plus the house in Bossier which was currently on loan to Godric and Chris.

I wiped my forehead with the back of my sleeve, not because I was sweating but because I had gotten in deeper than I ever imagined. I'd guessed Eric was wealthy, but I hadn't guessed _how_ wealthy, not by a long shot. I sat back on my heels and looked up at my house in the mid-morning light. It looked old compared to Eric's house. He said he didn't care, and liked my house because it was cozy. I wouldn't put it past him that the reason he liked it was because it was where we first made love. Sometimes he hinted at his nostalgic nature, otherwise why would he keep pink Lycra pants from the eighties?

As I looked down back to my work, something shiny caught my eye, beckoning from the ground to my right. I crawled over, still holding on to the little old shovel we'd had forever, and picked at the earth. My breath caught in my throat.

Gran's brooch was lying nestled neatly between the weeds. It was dirty, but otherwise it was fine, like it hadn't been in a fire at all. How could this be? If the maenad, or Sam or Eric for that matter, had retrieved it from the rubble of the house, they wouldn't have left it lying in the garden.

"A miracle," I whispered. And just earlier I hadn't felt like much of a believer. I was humbled by my perceived miracle.

I stripped my working gloves and, brooch in hand, ran to the cemetery between my house and Bill Compton's. I knelt on the hard ground by Gran's grave, the lilac-colored flower still adorning it silently, and I told her everything, from becoming Eric's wife to what I'd been told last night, and everything in between. I knew it was silly. Gran wasn't there. If she really could hear me, she could hear me from inside the house. I felt that maybe her grave could channel my words to wherever she was. So I kept talking, my throat growing dry and the day growing warmer.

I'd ended up sitting against the tombstone when I ran out of words. I picked up the pretty flower and described it to Gran. I also described the man who had left it.

"Who was he, Gran? I've never met him before," I continued, finally growing tired. I closed my eyes and leaned my head back, feeling a trickle of sun coming through the trees around Gran's grave.

"Sookie Stackhouse, as I live and breathe," said a female voice above me. I looked up and was startled to see…

"Claudine Crane?" I asked, as she folded herself to sit near me. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt that looked curiously similar to mine, and her trademark smile.

"I'm so happy you remember me," she beamed, but then frowned. Even her frowns were pretty. "I'm not interrupting, am I?"

I looked around me, like I'd forgotten where I was. "No, no… I was done. I'm sorry to sound nosy, but what brings you here?"

"Yesterday was my friend's funeral, but I couldn't make it because of work," she said and pouted. Would the woman ever look bad doing anything?

My mind was working, even if it was slow. There had only been one funeral at that cemetery the day before. "You were friends with Lafayette too?"

"Yes! You knew him?" she asked, and her smile returned.

"Yeah, I used to work with him. He was a great guy," my voice broke a little when I was hit broadside by the alien memory of how he died. "I'm going to miss him."

Without a word, Claudine hugged me, to comfort. She reminded me a lot of Lafayette in the way she always smiled, and now the hug. I brushed my tears aside quickly, embarrassed.

"It's okay to cry for a friend. Now tell me, how did your boyfriend like his presents?" she asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Brownie points for wanting to take my mind off things," I said, smiling genuinely.

"Brownie points? _Brownie_ points?" She started rolling with laughter, and I wondered what was so funny. Since she always seemed to be in a good mood, maybe she found hilarity in silly things.

As I watched her having her fit of laughter, I saw her hair part around one of her ears. Eric's blood in me was still strong, and I was standing and backing away faster than my usual human speed. I couldn't believe what I'd just seen. Sam and I had just spoken about it. Like, just this morning!

"What's wrong?" she asked, still chuckling.

"You… you're a…" I couldn't even say it.

She did.

"I'm a fairy, silly, not a brownie. Sit down, Sookie. I won't hurt you," she said, and by golly if her smile wasn't the most honest and open one I'd ever seen from anyone in my life.

I knelt back on the ground, but not too close. "Do you know what I am?" I asked her. Maybe she could give me more information, maybe not. It was worth a try.

"Yes, I do. You have a little bit of fae blood in you. That's probably why you and I get along: kindred spirits." Claudine's smile softened. She knew I was having a hard time with this.

"Can you read minds too?" I asked. It had been THE question running through my head all night long. Was that what I inherited?

"Yes I can. I'm guessing that's your main problem, huh?" she frowned.

"Always has been. It's really hard to shield people's thoughts and it leaves me exhausted. But my brother doesn't have that problem," I countered. Why was I the genetic freak?

"That's genetics for you," she said. I knew she had read that off my mind. "Without the magic to wield your power properly, you're left vulnerable. No wonder you chose a vampire as your mate. He's probably a breath of fresh air to you." She had lifted that off my brain too.

Well! That was an odd turn of events. No wonder people didn't like me. It felt strange, to say the least. The only difference was that I had nothing to hide, so I didn't mind if Claudine wanted to search my memories. She'd probably cringe at the things she'd find, but I wasn't embarrassed by my life. Not in front of her.

I saw Claudine cringe a couple of times and then shake her head. "I'm so sorry, Sookie. That should have never happened to you." I wasn't sure what she was referring to, because I wasn't sure which of the many horrible moments in my life I had been thinking about. Maybe it was all of them. "Your cousin figures prominently in your thoughts," she said, probably trying to steer my thoughts. It felt odd, but I told her mentally, with words and pictures, the consequences of Hadley's actions.

"But you love Eric," she said, probably trying to reason with me.

"I do, very much, but I would have liked some more time to get to know him, to develop our relationship, to bond with him when I was good and ready. I told Eric it felt like a shotgun wedding, and he didn't seem to mind, but sometimes I wonder…" my voice trailed.

"For a vampire to form a love bond with a human is a sign of deep respect, and it isn't something they do lightly. Don't second guess what he feels for you," she smiled and patted my hand. "Now, _you_ my dear did not have a proper bachelorette party. How about you join me one night at Houlihan's? I'd like you to meet my brother and sister," she wiggled her eyebrows.

"I would like that," I said. Maybe a night out with a friend would do me good. "Maybe Pam can come with us!"

"Hold your horses, there, cowgirl. Pam's a vampire?" Claudine asked. She must have still been reading my mind, but trying to make it look like she wasn't.

"Yes," I frowned. Did Claudine have something against vampires?

"I have nothing against vampires, other than they like to eat fairies. We're scrumptious to them, like a drug they cannot say no to. And if they do have our blood, they go crazy, like very strong animals in heat. That's why I would never set foot in Fangtasia, as much as I'd like to see you in your native environment," she snickered and looked up at the sky. "As a matter of fact, I think you should go home and take a shower. My scent might have clung to you, unless you don't mind a little rough hanky-panky with your Viking."

"Claudine!" I chastised her. Of course she had learned I was a bit prudish.

At home I had no choice but to take another shower. I'd been working in the garden and sitting on the ground, so I smelled like dirt and Claudine. When I was clean again, and after eating a very early dinner (or a very late lunch), I started doing other things around the house, only to occupy my time. I didn't feel like reading or watching TV, and I still wasn't feeling sleepy enough to lie down and rest.

When there really wasn't anything else for me to do and it was close to six, I sat on the bed in the spare bedroom, holding on to a shirt for Eric. It was really dark in there, since the curtains were drawn. I turned on the bedside lamp and lied on my side, waiting, waiting…

"I don't think she slept all day," I heard Eric say in the fog between dreaming and waking.

"She's sleeping now. Maybe you should let her. I'll take care of things and call you if I need you," Pam said.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," I said, but my voice came out groggy as hell.

"Sleeping Beauty sounds like she could use a few more hours," Pam said, her voice considerably louder. I realized that I'd heard them whisper clearly.

"I brought you a shirt," I said to Eric, not bothering to open my eyes but holding the shirt up. I'd snuggled with it, I noticed.

"Thank you, dear one. Why don't I put you in your own bed so you can rest?" he asked, and lifted me without waiting for an answer.

"You're very high-handed," I murmured, my head sinking against his chest. I just couldn't open my eyes for the life of me.

"I know, and you can argue with me later, but please sleep now." Eric tucked himself beside me. In the comfort of his arms, I fell asleep again.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I swear to God, if somebody touches you they will lose their hand," I said, crossing my arms over my oversized blazer. The one with the giant shoulder pads... Yeah, one of those.

"Nothing would please me more, my fierce vampiress. You are gorgeous when you are angry," Eric said leaning towards me for a kiss.

We looked like mismatched eighties stars. Eric looked like he belonged in a hair band, with teased hair and heavily made up eyes, courtesy of my makeup case. I looked like Debbie Gibson with longer hair, with ripped jeans, Keds, and an awful striped shirt. We emerged from the Corvette and walked to the employee entrance at Fangtasia… except that I lagged a pace or two behind. My hand had a mind of its own, I swear, so when it reached for and squeezed Eric's butt I could safely deny it had been me. It just looked so decadent, encased as it was in those pink Lycra pants with aqua swirls down the sides of each leg.

"Now, I know little Debbie Gibson didn't just touch my bottom," Eric said, opening the door and holding it for me. I turned to him as I passed and shrugged.

"I think I should have been Belinda Carlisle. I liked her better, or one of the Bangles. The drummer!" I said. The only reason I was dressed as Debbie Gibson was because my darling _sister_ wanted to dress like Tiffany… and I had agreed because she had been so excited about it. So I only bitched about my costume to Eric, who took it all in stride. We had bypassed Eric's office and were going straight for the main floor to check on preparations. Halloween was to be a karaoke night, with a contest for the sexiest singer.

"Everything is ready," Pam declared with one of her smiles, the mischievous kind. She was dressed like Tiffany alright and even had a red wig on. She was enjoying herself. The eighties theme had been her idea, the karaoke had been mine, and the contest had been Eric's.

So far I was nervous and excited about the party. The excited part was easy: it was Halloween and it was my first time celebrating it at a vampire bar. The nervous part: I was Eric's wife, and with the spike in vampire clientele, I would have to act as such. That was the fly in my ointment. From now on I wasn't merely a barmaid. I would be expected to fill a role that there was no way to prepare for: the wife of a vampire sheriff.

The bar started filling up fast right at eight. Thankfully, Thalia was keeping the idiots who'd come dressed as Dracula out of the bar. Eric had a serious case of hero worship for that vampire, and anybody caught dressed like him was liable to lose his throat. The rest of the bar patrons were dressed in the usual, with many of the girls showing way more skin than they ought to. I caught Eric ogling and that earned him a Ked to his instep. I guessed it didn't matter if the man was vampire or human, he was still going to look.

"She looks like you, my love," he said in my ear, and nibbled it, sending shivers all over my body which seemed to center somewhere below my bellybutton.

"Quit it. Now I'm mad," I said in a huff.

"Would you like to take me to the office and show me how mad you are?" he said, still nibbling my ear. I calmed down considerably, but only because his show of affection was hard for other people to miss. Darn it all if I was feeling a little possessive. It was that yummy butt. The butt made me do it!

I smiled. "What would you have me do? Spank you?"

"You know you want to," he said without missing a beat. My hand drifted, settling on his lower back where it met the rise of those gorgeous glutes. By the end of the night one or both would end up in my mouth.

The music started. The DJ that Pam had hired was spinning everything from the eighties. We had some vampires approach us to congratulate us on our nuptials, people that hadn't made it to the ceremony, but for the most part they were there to party. And party they did. I'd never seen the dance floor so busy. Even Eric and I started dancing on the dais… dirty dancing. But I didn't care. Eric's eyes on me pierced me with their intensity, and his hand on my waist was the only thing anchoring me to the ground. I was having so much fun dancing to one of my favorite songs that I barely noticed that Eric had stopped.

If it wasn't Bill Compton, standing in front of us, making me miss my favorite song. He wasn't even dressed in costume, the party pooper. He must have said something to Eric already, because Eric was shaking his head vehemently.

"Either send me an email or catch me tomorrow. I am not leaving this dance floor," Eric growled at Bill. Of course he wasn't leaving. He was the main attraction.

Bill nodded towards Eric, but was looking at me. Creepy booger. Before I could shake off the creeps, a smaller man approached the dais.

"Godric!" I yelled, and threw myself at him. He caught me in a hug, laughing. It was a musical sound.

"I came to say hello to you and I get assaulted," Godric said. Who knew he had a sense of humor?

"Where's Chris?" I asked, pulling away. He was rocking the eighties look with a pair of parachute pants. He was also looking much healthier than when I'd last seen him. The term lovely fell short to describe him.

"She's by the front door, next to Thalia. She really wanted to come see you, but it's best if you girls talk on the phone." It made sense to have Chris stay close to the Greek vampire. If Chris lost control, Thalia would be the best one to restrain her. She was the strongest vampire inside the bar, stronger than Eric, even.

I got back up on the dais and looked towards the front door. Chris waved her arms wildly over her head, and I mirrored her movement. At least something had gone right. I looked up at Eric, wanting to share my excitement, and he was beaming right back at me.

The karaoke contest was way too exciting. I was jumping in my chair like a little kid, rooting like a maniac for, pretty much, everyone. I was not an objective judge. I felt very much like Paula Abdul, praising everybody. The humans who participated had guts, because apparently turning into a vampire gave you perfect pitch. Eric and I had to choose the winner, and I was wavering between a gorgeous vampire man dressed like a romance hero who gave Michael Bolton a run for his money, and a human woman that sang an awesome version of _True Faith_. She was dressed like she belonged in Greece, and had Thalia salivating. Of course, the woman won. The vampire would have several partners throwing themselves at him, but the woman would have Thalia's undivided attention. According to Eric, there was no higher prize, not that I wanted to think too closely about what that meant. I was just happy that everybody seemed to be having a good time. Even Pam hooked up with another Tiffany wanna-be.

"You had fun tonight? Yes?" Eric asked, reaching for my hand as he drove us back home.

"Yes! That was an awesome party. When's the next one?" I asked, already hopping with anticipation.

"We'll have something for the holidays, but the next big one will be New Year's Eve, of course."

Of course, how could I forget? Waiting two full months seemed like too long. "Aren't there any vampire bands we can book? I think that would draw a huge crowd."

"There are. Do you think our place is big enough? I've never thought so," he said. I wasn't sure if he was pretending to be clueless, or if he really was. Probably pretending.

"Oh, sure it is. There must be other live venues that are small and intimate. I personally would prefer that to a stadium concert, Mister Eighties Hair Band Man," I answered as he kissed my left hand. It was when he started sucking on my fingers that I thought I might faint from desire. "You better drive faster," I said breathless.

Eric chuckled. "Give me a good reason to break the law, my love."

He was going to make me say it. He actually let off the gas and let go of my fingers to downshift. I wasn't having that. I turned within my seat, losing whatever shred of civility I had left, and grabbed him. "Get us home, the faster the better," I said, massaging the growing bulge in his pants. He smiled and floored it, making the engine of the Corvette rumble and purr. He'd just gotten it back, and I almost wished we still had the truck with its significantly larger backseat.

We raced up the stairs to our bedroom, where he let me take control. I ran my fingers under the waistband of the pants, teasing him into a low growl as I circled around him. I was the predator and he was my prey. I stood behind him, running my hands under his shirt, exploring the vast plains of his back and feeling how his muscles rippled as he took off his own shirt. I kissed my way down the soft skin of his back, making him breathe faster, probably taking in the scent of my own arousal.

Finally I peeled those silly pants off him, moving slowly as I caressed first his delicious butt, then his thighs, ending with his calves and his ankles. Of course, he hadn't been wearing any underwear, but I'd already known that.

"Go lie down, face down," I ordered him, pointing to the bed. He obeyed, turning his head to look at me with a grin. I stripped slowly, doing away with my shirt and my jeans, then my bra and my panties. If I didn't know any better, I'd have said Eric was salivating.

I knelt over his legs, straddling them and holding them together. I wanted that butt. God! It was to die for. I kneaded it, kissed it, put my breasts on it to tease him. He was grunting with each exhale, and I felt how his lust ate at him. I don't know how I forgot that he was a super vampire. He turned face up right under my legs, and instead of butt I was faced with a gracious plenty, demanding equal attention. My legs had done nothing to hold Eric in place.

"You are an evil lover," he growled.

I pouted. "Don't say that." I proceeded to give some loving to the part that felt neglected, kissing and sucking it lovingly, making Eric moan and hold on to the headboard.

"I need to be inside you, woman," he said in a deep growl, fixing me with his dark eyes. I crawled above him, guiding him inside me, taking all of him and feeling the same way I always felt when we made love: whole. I moved slowly, enjoying the feel of having the upper hand. I put my breasts close to his face, so he could kiss them and lick them the way he liked.

Eric built up to his own frenzy, letting go of my breasts, taking over, bouncing me on him while his thumb caressed my pleasure center. I held onto his forearms, letting the thrills build up.

"You're so beautiful, Sookie. Fuck me, Sookie. Come for me, Sookie." Eric's words had the intended effect, and I reached an orgasm so violent that I screamed his name, and ended up draped over him.

He turned us around, with him on top. He wasn't done yet, and I could only be glad. He withdrew, only to descend onto my hot center to lick me clean, making me build up to another release. As I was about to go over the edge, he bit my thigh, taking the blood he needed and quickly impaling me anew with his gracious plenty. I left Earth at Mach 1, and took him with me, hearing his cries above me and feeling him spill inside me with a great big gush until he collapsed.

I regained my senses little by little. Eric's face was on my chest, nuzzling one of my breasts lovingly. Once in a while he would either kiss it or lick it. I was playing with his hair with one hand, running my fingers through it, and caressing his shoulders with my free hand.

This had been the first time I'd actually reached a climax since my abduction. Eric hadn't said anything, but I could feel his disappointment. He'd blamed himself, as if he had been the bad lover. But, of course, it had nothing to do with him. If anything making love and trying to reconnect was what helped me.

"Thank you," I said into his hair, where I'd just kissed him.

"What for, my love?" he asked, still mesmerized by my breast.

"For not giving up on me. For loving me," I said, feeling tears smart my eyes, but I didn't want to cry, so I held them back.

Eric put his elbows at either side of me and his chin on my chest so he could look at me. "You know I love you, right?" he asked. I nodded. "You're my life, Sookie. I would never give up on my life. You just needed to feel in control, that's all. Not that I did not enjoy my little Sookie in charge. You were magnificent."

I smiled, a little shy at the compliment, but didn't look away. Eric shifted so he could kiss me, a slow succulent kiss.

**TBC**

**A/N:** So… what do y'all think? Should my borrowed kids go to Mississippi to save stupid Bill? Or should I come up with something different? I'm leaning towards different, but welcome all suggestions.


	25. Friends and Neighbors

**A/N: **[Singing] Where oh where could my little Bill be, oh where oh where could he be...! With a nasty mom, and a skinny ass, oh where oh where can he bee...?

Oh, and… Claude's not gay, he's bi. I'm trying to expand his horizons.

* * *

**Chapter 25 – Friends and Neighbors**

"Sam… Sam Merlotte, it's Sookie," I said into his answering machine for the God-only-knew-how-many time. I'd been trying to call him and he never answered my calls, or returned them, and when I'd gone to Merlotte's he had disappeared as I entered the bar. Darn, those shifter senses! "Samuel! I swear to God if you don't answer this phone call I'm going to call the cops for a wellness check!"

"What, Sookie, what?" he answered. Finally!

"Sam!" Okay, now I wasn't sure what to say. Sam had been my boss and friend, and I didn't want us to be… not friends. "Sam, I'm…"

"I've been busy, Sookie," he interrupted. I wish I could read people's minds over the phone to see what he really meant, not that I would have any better luck in person. His brain was mostly a haze.

"Okay, fine. I just wanted to say that you asked me to forgive you, and I do. I did. But you ran out of here so fast you didn't let me say anything. I'm not mad, and I don't want to lose you as a friend." There! I said everything I had to say.

Sam didn't speak for a long moment. I knew he was there, though. I wasn't sure if he was embarrassed, or something worse. I wondered if we _could_ be friends. What were the rules of etiquette governing spontaneous kissing between friends? If I'd been a different kind of person I would have forgotten about it and left Sam alone. But I wasn't that kind of person. I didn't have that many friends to go throwing them away when there was a speed bump. _More like a car-swallowing hole in the road._ What a mess!

"Alright, Sookie. Thank you," he said. That was all he said. I could understand he was still uncomfortable about us.

"So… are we good? Are you going to run away again?" I asked. Jeez! If I didn't sound like Eric…

"Not from you," he seemed to sigh. We hung up.

When did I become the person who broke hearts? I hadn't even meant to do it. Sam was the last person on Earth that I wanted to hurt… wanting to throw him in a hole that one time notwithstanding.

One friend down, one to go. Tara had to be in a right state. I'd tried to call her too, but no luck there either. She didn't know her ex-fiancé had abducted me and tried to rape me. All she knew was that Eggs was being held in jail without bond because he had committed several crimes, including the rape of Lafayette Reynolds that eventually led to his death, and the death of two other women. That, coupled with the fact that he did it in conjunction with the M.E. for Renard Parish… the tongues were wagging for several weeks.

So… on that crisp cool November morning, I got in my Prius and headed to the main part of Bon Temps, where Tara had her store. Tara's Togs was in the same strip mall as a restaurant and a hair salon, and the strip mall was owned by Bill Compton. I was just chock-full of useless information. Sometimes I came about it by reading useful things, though. I'd been learning a little of Eric's job. Vampires had to pay taxes (they called it fealty… po-tay-to, po-tah-to) to their fiefdom. The more money a vampire made, the more he or she had to pay in fealty, which in turn was divided between the coffers of the fiefdom and what the fiefdom owed the kingdom. Yep! Vampires were stuck in the Middle Ages. Anyway, when Bill bought the strip mall, his new income meant an increase in the fealty he owed, and he got a nice letter letting him know how much more he needed to contribute.

I parked in front of Tara's store, and I could see her helping customers. Well, then I'd be a customer too. I needed something to wear for Thanksgiving anyway, even though it would only be four of us, and two of the group didn't eat. Jason would be coming over, as he always did, Pam and Eric too.

"Sookie!" Tara called out from the register, apparently happy to see me. If she was so happy, then why hadn't she returned my calls? I dipped into her mind, curious. She didn't want me to take pity on her. Huh. Then I wouldn't. That was simple.

"Hey! I need something for Thanksgiving," I said, and headed to the right side of the store where she had the dresses.

She joined me soon thereafter, smiling but waiting for me to say something about Eggs. I knew she didn't want me to say anything, so I didn't. It's not like I wanted to talk about him either. "Are you doing something special for Thanksgiving?" she asked; she was the consummate business woman.

Tara's early family life had been horrendous, with abusive and alcoholic parents. All her siblings had left the house as soon as they could, and she – being the youngest – had to stay and put up with her parents' lunacy. Somehow she had made it out of there and had become a good business woman, judging by how popular her store was. However, her personal life was always in turmoil. She could never seem to find the right partner. Eggs was Exhibit A.

"I'm only having Jason, my fiancé and his… sister for dinner, but you know me. I wanted to make it special." I hadn't been sure how to classify Pam in human terms.

Tara's face opened in wonder. "You're getting married? Why didn't I know this?" Tara had known all about my quirk and how completely useless it was to have a relationship with a man.

"Not exactly," I bit my lip. How to explain? She'd been my friend forever… "Eric is a vampire so we can't marry."

Tara's eyes drifted to my left hand. "That looks like a wedding band to me. And who's Eric? Who are you and what have you done with my Sookie?" she asked, completely forgetting that she'd been the one who had disappeared.

I decided to overlook her comment, and I told her as much as I could about Eric and our relationship. Little by little we mended our relationship, though I wasn't sure why it had been broken to begin with. I even called Claudine and set a date for us three girls to go to Houlihan's. Eric would have a fit…

With a brand new sweater dress hanging inside a bag from a hook in the backseat of my car, I headed to where Bill had told Eric that the Fellowship was building a new worship center. Bill had learned about it on Halloween, and had wanted to tell Eric right away. But there was nothing to be done. The Fellowship of the Sun was considered a religious group with the First Amendment backing their every move. If they wanted to buy land, nothing would stop them. They had bought a parcel of dilapidated industrial buildings, and the land they stood on, over in Minden. It wasn't very close to Shreveport, but it was close enough to worry. When I passed by, I saw that they had already razed all the structures and cleaned up. Soon they would begin construction. I got a chill and drove away as fast as my Prius could take me.

It made sense that Bill had been disturbed enough with the news to want to interrupt during the Halloween party. He was the only one from our area who had actually been inside the Fellowship. Whatever he'd seen must have affected him. Even creepy Bill could get the creeps. Wonders never ceased.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"When were you going to tell me this?" Eric asked. I'd just told him I had a friend who happened to be a fairy. He was standing in the kitchen with his arms crossed over his chest. There was fear mixed with his anger. He never ever felt fear, unless it had to do with my safety.

"I'm sorry, but she said vampires and fairies don't exactly mix," I said. The truth was I wasn't sure why I hadn't told him.

"Don't you think that would be an even better reason to let me know you have a friend who is fae, so if I smell her on you I am prepared? I could have hurt you." Eric's voice was deep with worry.

"You wouldn't hurt me," I said in a tiny voice that held no conviction at all. He'd never hurt me at all. That didn't mean he never would.

Eric's face turned into a mask made of stone. "I have killed fairies before."

His admission sent chills down my spine and I had to look away. I knew he had killed people before, but when he admitted things like that to me, it made me wonder what the heck I'd been thinking. How could I bond with a murderer? He'd told me he hadn't killed a human in centuries, but he'd never spoken of other creatures.

"They can't sense vampires, so they don't see us coming," he said and walked closer to me. "I won't tell you to not be friends with the fairy, but please don't bring her to the house, for her safety."

I nodded, staring at his chest unable to look directly at his face. I felt like a little kid who'd done something wrong. I might as well tell him now we'd be going to see men strip… get him as mad as he could possibly get.

"What's the matter, dear one? I'm not enough man for you?" he asked when I told him. His mood had shifted from anger and fear to amusement. That was an improvement. He wasn't mad at all.

I finally breathed normally again and smiled. "You're plenty man enough and then some, but I don't want my friends to watch you strip. The calendar is bad enough."

He chuckled and drew me close into a hug. The uneasiness that his words had caused were forgotten as soon as his scent filled me. My heart skipped a beat like it always did when he touched me. I was beginning to notice that the little thrill I felt with Eric hadn't faded. I supposed it was still early in our relationship to even worry about that, but I found it a comfort. Maybe it would always be like this. I tilted my head up and he met me halfway, his lips soft on mine at first then demanding. He swept his tongue across my lips and they parted, allowing him inside so he could taste me.

"We're going to be late," I mumbled into his mouth. It was our Monday off and we had plans to catch a movie at a theatre.

"There will be another show," he said, pulling away and burying his face at the junction where my neck met my shoulders.

Suddenly the bedroom seemed too far, and the dining table too inviting. After a frenzy of discarded clothes, I ended up on all fours on top of the table, with a very eager vampire behind me. He buried his face at my center, licking a cool path before his tongue darted inside me. He didn't stay there very long. His arousal was too much to contain. In a swift move I was lying on my back and he spread my knees wide, burying himself inside me as far as he could go.

"Sookie, look at me," Eric said from way above me. I didn't know why I _wasn't_ looking at him. My eyes must have closed on their own in pleasure. When I opened them I took in his form, the sight of him a pleasure all its own. Each muscle danced with the effort of making love: his biceps moved as he held my legs wide; his pecs and abs were taut with the restraint he used not to hurt me, caressing my insides in long languid moves. Eric's hair was coming out of its ponytail, his eyes had gone almost black and his fangs were fully out, showing me his need, his want. His nipples mirrored mine, hard and begging for attention. Oh, how I wished I could suck on one of those…

As if reading my mind, he bent over me, wrapping my legs over his waist and bringing that one nipple close to my mouth. My tongue darted out, licking it before my lips closed around it to suck. Eric moaned, a heady sound that sent my senses trilling. He picked up the pace, pumping faster and harder, seeking release within me. I let go of that nipple and fixed him with my gaze.

"Come for me, Eric," I said. His surprise and lust barreled into me. "Let me hear you come." He took a deep breath, still looking at me until he couldn't, until his pleasure made him close his eyes and convulse violently. He curled into me, resting his forehead on my breast as he let out a roar that shook the house. For once he took me with him into that sweet bliss, when it was usually the other way around and I took him with me. Even though I hadn't done much, I still felt accomplished. Just as I thought that, every single thought in my brain left me when Eric took a belated drink from my neck. I'd been trembling with the aftershocks of my own release, when I landed inside the purple paradise that was his euphoria as he took my blood.

How had I gotten so lucky? The first lover I'd ever had turned out to be the most exquisite lover I could ever have. And we loved each other, to boot. We both laughed at our naughtiness as we picked up our clothes and headed to the bedroom, which was _right next door_ to the kitchen. That's how this old house had been built and added to. Nevertheless we couldn't wait the ten seconds it would take to walk around the corner.

We washed and dressed quickly. Maybe we could catch the next showing of the movie we wanted to see. A frenzied knock on my front door made us roll our eyes in perfect sync.

"I'll get it," I said, figuring it was my brother.

I was wrong. There was a big holey brain behind that door. I opened it quickly, simply because the frenzied knocks sounded like danger was just around the corner, and whoever was knocking needed help. On the other side of my threshold I found Bill and the first thing that struck me as incredibly odd were his tears of blood.

"Please, Sookie," he whispered, looking over his shoulder.

"Come in," I said, standing aside. He came inside in a blur, and met Eric who had come out of the bedroom at the commotion. Whatever was wrong, Bill wanted Eric's help.

"Take this," Bill shoved his PC and laptop bag into Eric's hands. "Give it to Queen Sophie-Anne if I don't come back by the first of January."

"Bill," Eric's voice was grave. There seemed to be actual concern in his tone.

"My maker calls. I must go. Please, Sheriff," Bill said, walking backwards, right back out the door. It was as if someone was pulling him with a rope. Each step out the door seemed to ease whatever was ailing him, until with a sigh of relief he ran away into the night.

"What was that about?" I asked, still staring out my driveway, where Bill had disappeared in another blur of motion.

"His maker calls, and he was stalling," Eric explained. When I turned to him he was looking at the computers in confusion. "These computers must hold the work he is doing for the Queen."

I rolled my eyes… "Obviously. I'm just wondering why he was in so much distress over a call from his maker."

"Not all of us have kind makers," Eric mumbled. It struck me that Eric had never spoken of his maker, though now didn't seem like the right time to ask. "Let's take these computers to my house and then we can go watch a movie."

I knew better than to question Eric about Bill. I didn't think it was fair for Bill to go to his maker if he didn't want to go. I also didn't think there was anything that Eric could do about it. The matter kept nagging me, for some reason, even as we made our way to the movie theatre.

"Do you know who Bill's maker is?" I asked Eric, turning to him to wait for the answer.

He frowned. "I think it's a woman, but I don't know much else."

"Do you have to tell the Queen that he left his work with you?" I was really curious all of a sudden.

"Not unless he doesn't return by January first, as he said. Why are you so interested?" Eric asked. It was a fair question.

"I have no idea," I answered honestly. "I think it's because of the way he looked, so desperate to give you his work, stalling to answer his maker's call. I just think it's odd."

"You think it's odd because you've only seen the Queen, Godric and I with our children. We are good to those we turn, for the most part. God knows Pam got her fair share of punishments from me, but only in the beginning when she used to defy me, and she always knew why she was being punished," Eric confessed.

I thought that mighty funny. "She still defies you now."

"Not like she used to, and nowadays she picks her battles carefully."

I stared out the windshield as we continued in silence, until another question popped into my head. "What can Bill's maker do to him?"

Eric made a face. "Anything she wants. He is hers to command as she wishes. She might be very cruel indeed, but we do not meddle in the affairs between makers and children."

I shrugged. It's not like I was planning on rescuing Bill or anything. At least now I understood a little bit more about how the vampire magic worked. When your momma calls, you gotta go.

The theatre was busy, but not packed. It was a Monday night, after all. Our moods, which had soured after Bill's appearance, lifted considerably as we walked hand in hand towards the theatre.

"Would you like some popcorn?" Eric whispered in my ear as soon as we were inside.

"That would be nice," I said, and started walking to the concession stand. Eric stopped me, turned me around, and guided me to a bench by a far wall.

"Sit for a minute. I'll get it," he said. Okey-dokey. He was feeling gentlemanly tonight.

He returned with a bucket of popcorn and a soda, looking all sorts of proud. I returned his wide smile. "Thanks honey!"

Eric picked the seats, and we ended up alone at a corner. "This is a weird angle to the screen," I murmured.

"Yes, but I may want to kiss you later, and I would like a little privacy," he whispered in my ear, making me shiver and my heart double its pace. He took advantage of the proximity to nibble my ear and kiss the spot where my jaw met my neck. And then he pulled away to enjoy the previews.

Well… two could play that game. I turned to him and leaned in, leaving no space between us, and nibbled at his ear as well. I felt him shiver with the sensation of my mouth on his soft skin. I wiggled a little bit, making it clear that one of my breasts was firmly pressed against his chest. Then I pulled away.

"You're evil, woman," he whispered in a hoarse voice.

"No more than you," I said smugly.

Watching a movie with Eric was always fun. We laughed at the same things, and questioned the same absurdities. Once in a while, during the boring bits, he would bring me close and we would enjoy a delicious kiss in the darkness of the theatre. I was finally doing normal things, things that had been denied me. In that moment I felt grateful that Eric had entered my life.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Oh, my word… He is gorgeous!" Tara exhaled, taking in the ethereal form of the man who had just started dancing in front of our table.

I could have recognized him anywhere: it was Claude, Claudine's brother. He looked like the male version of Claudine and Claudette – the third triplet, whom we had met at the door to Houlihan's. Claude was the epitome of male perfection. His tall body was muscled just right, and his hair was as black, shiny and long as his sisters' hair. Just like Claudine, his skin looked soft like a ripe plum's, and was the warm color of coffee with milk. He certainly tanned better than me, or maybe it just looked better on him. I was sure the sun loved him more.

"He's a grouch, but I love him," Claudine said at my side, apparently just as mesmerized by her brother as Tara and I were. Her eyes shifted and she became mesmerized by another of the dancers. "Ooooh!" she exclaimed as the dancer came closer to us. She stood up, waving a few bills.

I turned my attention back to Claude, who gave me a seductive smile and a wink. I felt myself blush, and with a smile I stuck a bill into his hip. Tara followed my actions and stuck a bill too, closer to his… package.

Later we got to go backstage and met Claude, officially. He was dressed, but it didn't really take away from how incredibly sexy he was. His jeans strained over his muscled thighs, and the tight T-shirt didn't hide anything at all. I momentarily forgot I was married.

"Hello, ladies," Claude said, his voice was as smooth as his skin.

Tara almost melted beside me, and became giddy as a teenager. I couldn't help but be happy for her. She deserved a pleasant experience.

"Sookie, Tara, this is my brother Claude," Claudine said.

"My pleasure," Tara said breathless, shaking Claude's hand.

I shook his hand, but he didn't let me speak before he said, "You're the one married to the vampire," and his smile grew.

I was a little nervous about Tara hearing this, but she wasn't paying attention to Claude's words, only to Claude himself. "Yes I am," I said to Claude. I noticed his hair was pulled back into a ponytail and his ears were rounded. He must have had them altered. That didn't make him less of a fairy, though. He was still reading my mind.

As if on cue, his eyes shifted to Tara. I'd wanted him to pay attention to her, and not me. I had my own hunk a burnin' love waiting for me at home. Tara was the one that needed some loving. Maybe Claude would be interested in her.

I'd left myself open so Claude could see my thoughts, and wasn't prepared for the avalanche of images that came from Tara as Claude's gaze shifted to her. Claudine took my hand in hers and immediately my shields sort of popped into place. _That's_ what she'd meant. Claudine's magic was so strong that she could even help me with my own shields. Well… if that wasn't a fine how-de-do. Could I keep a fairy in my pocket from now on? Claudine giggled beside me. She could still hear everything that passed through my mind.

"Would you care to go for a drink?" Claude asked Tara. She nodded furiously, still speechless, and off they went, leaving the club through the back door.

"I guess it's time to go home," Claudine said, still happy as a clam. Nothing ever fazed her.

We parted ways at the parking lot. I headed back to Shreveport, not really thinking much about anything other than the lyrics of the songs playing on my radio. I was singing (off key and at the top of my lungs) when my cell phone rang.

"Hi, honey!" I answered. It was Eric.

"How long until you get home?" he asked. I'd left Monroe almost forty five minutes before, and still had a ways to go. I told him so. "Meet me at your house then," he said. Bon Temps was halfway between both cities.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I hadn't noticed his worry at all. He must have been keeping it from me all night.

"We'll talk in a few minutes," he said.

I went straight to the shower when I got to my house and changed all my clothing. I'd been too close to two fairies all night, and Eric already sounded like he had too much on his plate. He arrived at the same time I was drying my hair.

"What's wrong?" I asked Eric again.

"We have to go to Jackson, tonight," he said. He was doing the usual pacing thing inside my bedroom, while I looked on from the door to my bathroom.

"As in Mississippi?" I asked only to clarify.

"Yes. Sophie-Anne wants us to find Bill after all. Even after I offered her Bill's work, she wants the man himself. His maker was last in Mississippi, so that's where she wants us to go," he stopped talking when there was a knock on the front door.

He moved first to answer it, as if he knew who it would be. He even opened it, only to find it was Mister Herveaux's son.

"Alcide," Eric greeted the man. I hadn't remembered his name.

"Eric, Miss Stackhouse," he nodded to both of us. Alcide Herveaux's expression was serious. He looked about as worried as Eric did, though it seemed to be for different reasons. His brain was hazy, like Sam's, but I was able to detect an undertone of wanting to help his dad. It must have been the most prominent thing on his mind, if that was what I was picking up.

"Are you ready?" Eric asked Alcide.

"Yes. Will you follow?" Alcide asked. I guessed we were all going to Jackson together. Tonight!

"Sookie, how much gas do you have?" Eric asked.

"About three quarters of a tank," I said. My car was awesome on gas mileage. I'd already traveled about two hundred miles on only a quarter tank of gasoline. "Um… should I pack something?"

"Do so quickly. Bring something to dress up as well. We should only be there a couple of days," he said in clipped tones. He really didn't want to go. His reluctance was almost palpable (a Word of the Day).

I sighed as I packed my new sweater dress. It was the only dressy thing I had in the house. Everything else was at Eric's. At least it would be warm and comfortable.

"I'm guessing I'll be reading some minds?" I asked Eric as we drove, following behind Alcide's work truck.

"Yes. I hate this Sookie. I really didn't want to go. It's none of my business what Bill's maker has planned for him, and it's none of the Queen's business either." Eric ran his hand through his hair, mussing it all up.

"Where are we staying? Why is Alcide coming with us?" I asked. He was too mad to offer information.

"Alcide's father owns a building in Jackson, and we're staying with him. He has one of my coffins in his truck, and he'll keep an eye on you during the day."

"Alcide will?"

"Yes. The King of Mississippi is notorious for keeping Weres on his staff, so I'll feel better if Alcide is there with you."

"The King of Mississippi? Is that where Lorena was last seen?" I was getting overwhelmed with information, but I tried to keep up.

"Yes."

"And you trust Alcide?"

"Yes."

"What kind of shifter is he?"

"You caught that?"

"His brain…" I didn't finish. He knew what I meant.

"Alcide is a Were, and so is his father. They live in my area and we maintain a good working relationship. Right now Alcide's father is knee deep in debt. I promised to pay it off if Alcide helps. I will pass the expenses to the Queen later, since she's the one who wants me to search for that cocksucker." Eric growled the offensive word. I knew he didn't like to swear in front of me, so for him to have done so meant he was beyond angry.

"Do you mind if I close my eyes for a few minutes? I'm really tired," I said. I wasn't going to ask Eric any more questions, or argue about anything. I would help if I could and trust that all would go well.

**TBC**

**A/N: I have a new story posted, "Good Fences." It's an AH/AU story, starring Sookie and Eric. I figured I'd try something new. If y'all like AH stories, check it out and let me know how you like it. :-)**


	26. Josephine's at Jackson

**A/N: **I know y'all didn't want the kids to go to Mississippi, but the Queen insisted… Don't worry, I'll keep them safe.

* * *

**Chapter 26 – Josephine's at Jackson**

How depressing. One thing was to see Eric asleep in his bed during the day; another was to see him get in a coffin. I couldn't pretend he was asleep. I stared at the coffin until the sun shone through the tall windows of the spare bedroom in Alcide's condo. We had arrived in Jackson at almost four in the morning. I'd slept in the car a little bit, but then hadn't been able to sleep anymore, even though I'd tried. Eric held me for a long time, up until he had to get in the coffin. His worry and anger were too great to offer me any rest.

Now that Eric was asleep, I supposed I could have rested, but I was plagued by my own worry. I got up and padded over to the bathroom, trying to make myself look halfway decent before I went in search of coffee. I put a sweatshirt over my PJ top. Whoever told Alcide that sixty five degrees was an acceptable temperature for the inside of a home? Holy moly!

The kitchen was small, clean, and stocked with everything I needed to make coffee. I silently blessed the Mr. Coffee machine and set to making a pot. Alcide emerged from his bedroom, looking tired and sleepy, plopped on a stool at the counter in front of the sink and went back to sleep. He almost looked too big to be doing that kind of thing. I'd been mistaken. Alcide wasn't as tall as Eric, but only shorter by a couple of inches. Nevertheless his build was impressive. He could probably bench press me without breaking a sweat. Hell, he could probably bench press Eric without breaking a sweat!

"Would you like some coffee? I'm making enough for both of us," I said quietly. I felt like I owed him. He'd been nothing but polite to me so far.

"Yeah, thanks," he said. His voice was muffled by the arm over his head. He eventually made the effort to look up. "There's food in the fridge. You can help yourself to anything."

I turned and opened the door to the fridge. He had eggs, ham and cheese. I wasn't particularly hungry, but knew I should probably eat. Maybe some coffee and a hot meal in my belly would make me sleepy enough to take a long nap. Yes… I can sleep after drinking coffee. I'm weird that way.

I didn't bother asking Alcide if he wanted an omelet too, I simply made him one and put it on the counter. He'd set his head back down on it while I cooked, but looked up when he heard the plate. "You made me breakfast?" What a stupid question!

"I wasn't about to make breakfast for me and not for you. What kind of guest do you think I am?" I asked a little cross.

Alcide looked at me with wide green eyes, surprised, I guessed. If it had been difficult to read his brain before, it was almost impossible now that he was tired. "Thank you. You didn't have to."

I rolled my eyes. "Aren't you hungry?" I'd never met a man who didn't expect to be fed, not even if the man was a vampire.

"I'm famished," he answered and dug into his eggs. I set a cup of coffee in front of him. I didn't know how he drank it, but today he was going to drink it the same way as me.

I sat next to him and we ate in silence, both of us too tired to make any attempt at conversation. He finished his food first and took his plate to the sink. And then, to my immense surprise, he started washing it.

"I can do that," I said quickly.

"You cooked, I clean. Them's the rules," he said and gave me a quick smile.

I smiled back. It was a fair rule. "Okay. Can I bring you home for Thanksgiving, so you can clean up after me?" I snickered.

_Wish Debbie was like you._

I stopped breathing. That had been unexpected. It was like Alcide had actually thought something at me. "Who's Debbie?" I asked, before I could stop myself.

Alcide's eyes went wide in shock. "My… my girlfriend," he stammered then shook his head, closing his eyes briefly, as if in pain. "My ex-girlfriend. We broke up." Alcide's eyes went from shock to hope. "Do you think she'll come back?"

Oh, boy! What had I done? He thought I was psychic. It wasn't his fault. I was pretty sure Eric hadn't told him anything about me. The poor guy was heartsick for the woman, which obviously meant that _they_ hadn't broken up, but that _she_ had. I didn't have to be psychic to get that one.

"I'm sorry, Alcide. I can't see the future. I can only read some of your thoughts. You were thinking about her," I explained, watching as his face fell.

"You can read minds," he concluded. Maybe he had suspected I did something special, but wasn't sure what.

"Human minds," I qualified. "Yours is mostly a haze, unless you're thinking really hard about something, then I can pick it up."

Alcide gave me a sad smile. "Must come in handy," he said, just to say something. He was still stuck on his Debbie.

"It's mostly a nuisance," I confessed. I found that Alcide was easy to talk to. For one, he hadn't freaked out about my being able to read minds. For another, he reminded me of Sam a little bit. Maybe it was a shifter thing in general.

"Is Debbie a Were?" I asked. I was only indulging him. I knew he wanted to talk about her.

"No, she's a shifter. She's a werelynx," he said.

I was truly fascinated. "Wow! How many kinds of shifters are there?"

"Many, but werewolves are the most numerous," he said good-naturedly. He tilted his head. "Didn't you used to work for a shifter?"

"Yes," I said cautiously. I wasn't sure if Alcide knew everything about Sam.

"Merlotte is a true shifter, though. Talk about rare." Alcide's thoughts drifted back to Debbie. A very naked Debbie.

"Alcide! Give me some kind of heads up when you're about to do that," I chided him. Is that all men thought about? Boobs and ass? Jeez!

"I'm sorry! I miss her," he said, looking dejected.

I softened my tone and cut him a break. "I know, it's okay." I handed him my plate and cup, since he was still on KP duty. "I think I'm going to try to take a nap. I feel like I can sleep now," I said getting up slowly. I was a little dizzy from lack of sleep.

"I think I'll do the same. If you wake up before me, don't go out alone. Eric would kill me. If you want to go out, you come get me. I don't mind if you wake me up," Alcide said in a grave voice.

"I promise I won't go out without you, but who would know I'm here or want to hurt me?" I asked confused.

Alcide arched an eyebrow. I could see he could be just as stubborn as certain people I knew if he put his mind to it. "Please don't make my job difficult."

I raised my arms in surrender as I walked away. Obviously I wasn't going to get anywhere by asking him questions. I'd have to wait for Eric. To that end, I curled up under the covers, un-tucking them from the mattress so I could tuck them around me. It was freezing! My belly satisfied and full, I fell asleep lickety-split.

"Sookie?" Alcide's deep voice woke me. He was sitting on the bed next to me.

"What's up?" I asked, opening one eye. The light had changed in the room, and without him telling me I knew it was the afternoon. The late afternoon! I sat up with a jerk. I'd slept the whole day away.

"You must have been very tired," Alcide observed.

I nodded, embarrassed. At least I'd be awake all night. "What time is it?"

"A little past four. The vampires will wake up in an hour," he said. I wasn't sure why he needed to tell me this. I lived with a vampire, so I knew exactly when they woke up. At the end of Daylight Savings, Eric had started waking up at five instead of six. "Why don't you get dressed and I'll make dinner?" he asked.

"Okay, thanks," I said.

I took a shower and put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt under my sweatshirt. It was almost torture to take a shower in that condo. I put the water as hot as I could stand it and steamed the whole bathroom so I could retain some warmth. I left my hair dirty, refusing to get my head wet with it being so cold. When I joined Alcide in the kitchen he was finishing up dinner. He'd made burgers. That was nice. He was also dressed like it was ninety degrees in the condo instead of sixty five. I shivered at his lack of clothes. He was wearing jeans, with a sleeveless shirt… and he was barefoot! I'd put on my socks and shoes to keep warm, and was contemplating putting on my coat. Meanwhile, Alcide's bare arms held an interest all their own. I'd never seen arms that big in person. I looked away before he could catch me ogling.

"You seem cold," Alcide chuckled as he put the plate of food on the counter in front of me. He gave me a glass full of ice and a can of Coke. Just looking at the soda made me shiver.

"It's freezing in here. Why do you keep it so cold?" I asked, and forewent the soda in favor of the food.

"I run hot," he shrugged, but took pity on me. "I'll turn it up. Why didn't you say anything sooner?"

I shrugged too. "This is your place. It's not for me to tell you how hot or cold to keep it. But since you asked…" Thankfully he turned up the heat and I thawed out. I wondered why Debbie had broken up with him. He seemed like quite the catch to me: handsome, mindful of others, polite. And he could cook! Maybe he picked his nose or something.

We were sitting in Alcide's cozy living room after dinner, watching the news, when I felt Eric wake up for the night. I stood up without a word, ignoring Alcide's curious look. I found Eric opening his coffin. It was impossible to have a bad day when you spent the whole day sleeping, but I actually felt better to see him. Apparently the feeling was mutual, judging by the wide smile he gave me as he walked over and scooped me into his arms.

"I missed you," he said against my temple.

"You always say that," I said looking up. He held my gaze for a long moment. I could feel longing and love from him, as if he truly had missed me. When he finally kissed me he did so slowly, taking his time before we had to do what we came here to do.

"What did you do today?" he asked, pulling away. Instead of looking at me while I spoke, he decided to explore my neck with his lips.

"Um…" Okay, so it's hard to be eloquent when you're getting kissed in a way that makes you tremble. So sue me. "I actually spent most of the day sleeping, sort of like you. Alcide had to come get me so I would eat dinner."

He pulled away and studied me for a second. Was he feeling jealousy? That had never happened, not even when I told him about the male strippers. His feelings cleared of what I perceived as jealousy, and he went into battle mode. That's what I resorted to calling the mixture of anger, worry, determination, and a hint of fear (particularly when I was involved) that he felt when something needed to be done. Without a word we headed back to the living room and laid out a plan.

It was simple, really. We'd go to a vampire bar called Josephine's (or Club Dead, like Alcide called it, earning himself a stern look from Eric and a giggle from me), and find out what we could about Bill there. If he was inside the headquarters of the King of Mississippi, then it would be simple for Eric to go pay the required visit and find out if he could bring Bill back to his home, per the Queen of Louisiana's orders. The King would most probably not object to a Queen's request to return one of her subjects. The King could also order Bill's maker to release him, or have her go home with Bill. It would behoove the King to honor Sophie-Anne's request, since they were friendly neighbors and all.

Not that there wasn't already a problem. For the men to get me close enough to people whose minds I could read, I had to pretend to date Alcide. Not that he wasn't a lovely man, but pretending to date him with Eric nearby was already proving to be… awkward. And we hadn't even started.

"The Weres won't approach her or talk to her if she's with you," Alcide reasoned with Eric after telling him what I had to do. "But they'll talk to me, and by extension they'll talk to Sookie."

Eric hadn't said anything after the initial snarl. He was getting super possessive because of the stress of the situation. I didn't think he would be any good until I had a chance to calm him down.

"Alcide, could you excuse us for a minute or two?" I asked, getting up.

"Look, Club Dead doesn't open until eight, so I'm going to check on a few things and I'll be back later," Alcide got up too and left the condo. I wasn't sure if he did it to give us some room, or if he truly needed to check on things. Whatever his motives I was glad Eric and I were alone.

"Come," I said, pulling Eric by the hand so he would follow me to the bedroom. I only knew of one way to calm him down and reassure him… or at least, one way that didn't involve yelling at him or beating him upside the head. That would have been counterproductive.

We were at the top of the building that Alcide's dad owned, about seven stories up. The lights were off in the bedroom but the curtains were open, and the soft lights of Jackson illuminated the room enough for me to see. I turned to Eric and caressed the skin just below his throat, watching how his soft glow illuminated my hand as well.

My hand continued making a trail to rest behind his neck. I could see he was studying me, or else trying to make up his mind whether to stay and look for Bill or go home and make love to me in one of our own beds. I pulled him down to me, like that first night when I wanted to kiss him so bad, and he acquiesced, bending to let me kiss him.

I knew it would happen. I knew he would take over. It was inevitable. His jealousy sparked his caveman need to mark me, to brand me. I took off my own clothes quickly, not giving him a chance to rip them, and he didn't even bother with his clothes. Once he had me pinned to the bed, he unzipped and took me, hard. I cried out at the sudden invasion, which merely sparked his need. The bed squeaked and the headboard slammed against the wall, but Eric didn't care, and I was beginning not to care either.

"Mine," he grunted with every thrust. "My wife, mine. My Sookie, mineminemine!" He kept repeating the words until he sunk his fangs into my neck and sent me away, tangled in an orgasm and his euphoria. I could still hear him, saying whatever he said in Old Norse at the same time he came. It had never occurred to me to ask him.

Eric licked my neck lazily. He'd pricked his finger and healed my wounds with his blood, so now he was just doing cleanup. It was like having a large cat draped over me, lapping milk from my neck. I think he even purred.

"Are you better honey?" I asked. I couldn't find any jealousy coming from him, so maybe my plan had worked.

"I should ask you if you're okay," he said instead of answering my question.

"I'm okay."

"I love you Sookie."

"I know. I love you too."

"I know," he took a deep breath, still at my neck. "I'll try my best to contain my jealousy. And my possessiveness," he added. Well… at least he could acknowledge he had a problem. That's always the first step to recovery.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I had imagined Josephine's/Club Dead would be like Fangtasia… I was sorely mistaken. First of all, the only humans there were the ones dating the supe that brought them. Second, everyone dressed up. No jeans or T-shirts allowed. I was glad my sweater dress could be dressed up easily. It was a dark gray turtleneck, so all I did was put my hair into a bun, wear my ruby earrings, and put on a pair of red work shoes. I had packed quickly but carefully, and remembered my red clutch. Judging by the two pairs of male eyes that looked at me with approval, I was pretty sure I did good.

We were to arrive separately, so Alcide drove me in the Prius, and Eric flew. Just thinking of how cold it would be to fly gave me shivers. Eric said he had a coat… funny.

"You'll have to move your ring," Alcide said, pointing to my left hand as he pulled into the strange parking lot. I really didn't want to be there, and the feeling only grew worse as he parked. I moved my ring to the ring finger of my right hand as I looked around me nervously.

"Ignore the feeling. It's a spell so that regular humans won't want to come here," Alcide said and got out of the car.

"A spell?" I asked, to no one at all. Alcide was walking around the car to get my door. Spell or not, this feeling of foreboding was really bad.

Alcide held out his hand for me to take as I stepped out of the car, and as soon as I took his hand I felt better. "Don't let go of my hand until we're inside the bar," he said in a soft tone. I noticed he had regular man's hands, like my brother's: hard and calloused from working with them. I'd become used to vampire hands, always soft no matter what. I was almost dragging my feet as we walked towards the building, and Alcide wiggled his arm, making mine wiggle too and making me look up. "You'll be fine," he said with a smile, trying to calm my frazzled nerves. It made me wonder again what in the world had possessed Debbie to break up with Alcide. Maybe he was gassy.

The bouncer at the door of Josephine's looked like a troll and I wondered if that wasn't exactly right. He didn't even look at our ID's before waving us in. I guessed if you're willing to go to a club for supes, you better be old enough and know what you're doing… although I certainly looked my age, and so did Alcide. We got several looks as we walked in, and I couldn't have guessed if they were curious looks, nervous looks, jealous, what? Alcide steered us to an empty table near the dance floor and waved at one of the servers.

"Alcide! Long time, no see. How's it going?" asked the girl who approached to take our drink order. She was "other." After spending some time with Alcide and the way his brain behaved, I could tell she was slightly different than him, but probably moved on the ground, as opposed to the air.

"Everything is well, Mara. How are you?" he asked. Did I say he was polite? And he was nice to people in service positions. Maybe he snored… Darn it! The mystery was eating me alive.

"Sweetie, you shouldn't have come tonight, even with the present lovely company," she shot me a smile. The haze in Mara's head cleared and I could see the problem. Debbie was coming, with her current beau, to celebrate something. Mara was worried for Alcide's sake. I cringed before she continued telling him the whole tale.

Debbie was coming alright, to celebrate her engagement to an owl. I just couldn't believe she chose an owl over Alcide. Weren't wild cats supposed to eat birds? I felt really bad for Alcide. He looked devastated for all of two seconds before his expression became blank. I probed his mind: he'd seen Debbie. I glanced at the door and there she was, hanging from the arm of the owl-man. He looked exactly like a humanoid owl… and she looked _way_ different that the way Alcide saw her in his mind. In his mind she looked almost sweet. In real life… well… let's just say I realized why she had broken up with Alcide. She was a bitch!

Debbie's head turned as if she could smell her old mate, and her eyes zoomed in on our table. Mara quickly took our drink order and left, knowing that Debbie was coming over. I tried to keep my eyes averted from Debbie, and poor Alcide was practically staring a hole through my head to keep himself from looking at her. I took his hand into mine, to calm him down. His thoughts were chaotic, and I wasn't sure how to soothe him. Truth was that I'd never been in that situation. Nothing prepares you to see the person that you love in love with another.

"Hello, Alcide," said Debbie when she was close to our table. Since I was allowed to look at her now, I studied her. First of all: Yuk! What an awful haircut! It looked like the one Meg Ryan had in the movie _Kate & Leopold_ but in black. Blech! Second: she looked like her features would be pretty if her nose wasn't stuck up in the air.

"Debbie," Alcide said, forcing a smile.

"What brings you to Jackson?" Debbie asked him.

"Business, as usual," he answered, forced smile still in place.

Debbie cut her eyes to me and back to Alcide. "I would have thought it was pleasure," she almost purred. I felt my cheeks flush, but I wasn't sure if I was mortified or mad. Probably both.

Just at that moment, my darling hubby decided to enter the door, and he looked livid. I'd been trying to read too many minds at once to focus on his feelings inside me, but the expression on his face said it all. Unfortunately, I wasn't sure why he was mad: at what Debbie had said (since he would have been able to hear it), at the fact that I was holding Alcide's hand, at the fact that we were in Mississippi… It could have been all three things that made him mad.

"Congratulations, on your engagement. Now, if you will excuse us," Alcide said and stood up, holding my hand. He walked us away from the table to the dance floor. That was the only time I could read Debbie's thoughts. She was all kinds of jealous. _Then why leave him?_ Oh, that's right. She was a bitch.

Alcide brought me too close, probably too mad to pay attention to what he was doing. I forced him back and away before his head became separated from his body. He looked down at me, finally realizing what he'd done, and his face became chagrined.

"I'm sorry, Sookie. I didn't mean…" his voice trailed. Oh, jeez! Poor Alcide.

"It's okay. Let's just focus on what we came here to do so we can leave," I whispered, very aware that Eric was staring at us intently. He was sitting at the bar, imagining bloodshed, I supposed.

Dancing gave Alcide a chance to scan the whole bar and identify whatever Weres worked for the King of Mississippi. Once he saw a promising group, he steered us that way. He knew the Weres from working for the King, so this should be easy-peasy. I crossed my fingers and prayed.

"Bruno, how are you?" Alcide asked one Were, and the men shook hands.

"Very well, Alcide. What brings you here?" Bruno answered. He looked scary in a leather vest, but seemed friendly enough to Alcide.

"I'm showing my date a little bit of Jackson," Alcide answered, pointing at me.

Bruno's attention turned to me. I didn't like the extra attention, but decided to grow thick skin. "Hello! How are you this evening?"

"I'm fine, thank you," I said, and smiled my wide smile, the one that came out when I was nervous. I tried to tone it down a little to make it look genuine.

"You guys going to the concert tomorrow?" Bruno asked us, tearing his hungry gaze from me to look at Alcide for an answer.

"What concert?" Alcide asked. I was wondering the same thing, and all I could get from Bruno's brain was the song _Blue Suede Shoes_ playing over and over like a broken record. Talk about an earworm…

"The King's new flavor of the month found this vampire Elvis impersonator, and he is awesome. They're having a concert tomorrow night at the estate. You gotta come, man! And you too, darling," Bruno said turning to me.

With my smile still firmly in place, I said, "You're too kind," like a true Southern Belle.

"So what's going on at the estate? Everything okay? I haven't seen it since we installed the upgraded utilities," Alcide asked.

"The estate is fine, but man! Those vamps are sick," Bruno started, but I stopped listening with my ears. He was broadcasting loudly, and it was obviously something that hadn't sat well with him. A vampire torturing another, tons of vampire blood on the floor, the screams in the night. I almost got sick to my stomach when I realized who he was talking about. The face he'd seen covered in blood was Bill's face. His maker had done that to him. I didn't care for Bill one bit, but that was just insane.

"And the King knows about this?" Alcide asked.

"He doesn't give a fuck. That twisted sister is the vampire's mom, or some shit. They don't get involved. Man! It's like the inquisition in there. I've never seen anything like it," Bruno said. I tried to listen to his brain a little harder, to see if I could gather any more information, but we were back to the _Blue Suede Shoes_.

"Darling, tell this big lug to take you to the concert tomorrow," Bruno said, handing something to Alcide.

"Sure will," I answered.

Alcide led the way back to our table, where Mara had left our drinks waiting for us, and I gulped my gin & tonic like it was soda. I hated seeing things like that. No matter how bad Bill had been, I didn't want _that_ kind of revenge. And what was his maker trying to do anyway? Punish him for stalling when she called? That seemed excessive.

Back at the condo I was pacing as I told Eric and Alcide everything I'd seen and gathered from Bruno's mind. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

"It's okay, Sookie," Eric tried to soothe me. I was in more and more distress as I kept thinking about it. "First thing tomorrow night I'll request an audience with the King and present Sophie-Anne's wishes."

"And what if he refuses?" I asked, standing in front of him with my hands on my hips. "Bruno said the King doesn't give a fuck." I didn't like to swear, but I was quoting verbatim.

"Honestly, Sookie. The man gives you the creeps. You've said so yourself. Why this sudden interest?" Eric asked, arching an eyebrow and raising his voice. Alcide was watching us like we were a tennis match.

"I don't know, Eric! Maybe because it's unfair. Maybe because I feel guilty that I wished him evil and now evil came upon him! I'm a good Christian woman, damn it!" I stormed to the bedroom.

In a moment of lucidity, I finally understood my concern. I'd have to be careful what I wished for. I perched on my bed, miserable, and looked up at the ceiling. "God… I'm sorry I wished evil on Hadley. Please keep her safe…"

**TBC**


	27. Nine Crimes

**Chapter 27 – Nine Crimes**

Eric knelt in front of me, reminding me of the night he asked me to bond with him forever. He reached up to stroke my cheek. He must have felt how horrible I was feeling about myself. "This is not your fault. You are good, Sookie."

I took a deep breath. "Sometimes I don't feel like a good person," I confessed.

"Now we know where Bill is, thanks to you. His Queen wants him back. His maker will be ordered to release him. Bill will recover and be back to his creepy self in no time," Eric said, trying to raise my spirits.

Eric made it sound so easy. Wouldn't a maker fight for her child? Wouldn't Eric protect Pam with all his might? I knew Bill's maker wouldn't relent. He was hers. I knew I hadn't made his suffering come about with my actions, but what about my thoughts? I was part fae. I had some kind of power in this world. I shook my head. That was absurd. What did I think I was? My own wish-granting genie?

"Okay, so now what?" I asked.

Eric sat next to me on the bed. "Now we visit the King of Mississippi and tell him what the Queen of Louisiana wants. That's it."

"Am I going with you?" I wasn't sure whether I wanted to go or not. I didn't want Eric to go by himself, not that I could protect him or anything, but all the same. I was going where he was going.

"You should," he answered. "As much as you hate to think of yourself this way, you are a valuable asset to the Queen of Louisiana. Your presence would serve a diplomatic purpose. Besides, everyone knows we are blood bonded. Where I go, you go." Eric studied my face for any sign of rebuttal.

I was slowly steaming inside at his words. An asset? Where he goes, I go? I knew he was stressed, but that was uncalled for. He didn't need to say it out loud. He didn't need to remind me that I was merely a thing to be protected and fought over. I stood up slowly, taking off all my jewelry, taking off my clothes, walking inside the bedroom in only underwear. I felt his lust push into me, but I was so mad that I didn't care. I put on my jeans and sweatshirt and walked out to the living room, without a backwards glance. I sat next to Alcide on his loveseat and focused my eyes on whatever he was watching on TV.

Eric had followed me to the living room. He didn't need to say anything, standing as he was with his arms folded over his chest. His stance and his ire inside me were enough of a hint that he was angry. Well, I was angry too, so whatever. Alcide arched an eyebrow, looking first at Eric, then at me, then back at the TV.

I felt the immense desire to move closer to Eric. It was like a compulsion. I gasped. If I'd been angry before, now I was livid. He was calling to me, to heel. I couldn't believe he used our bond that way. I dug my hands into the cushions of the loveseat. Dog nab it! He would have to come get me if he wanted me to move.

That's exactly what he did. He walked with a sure pace, bent and threw me over his shoulder. Of course, instantly I felt better because I was with him, but he was about to get an earful. Eric dumped me on the bed unceremoniously after closing the door behind him.

He was in my face half a second later. "How dare you? You swore you wouldn't run away from me again!" he snarled. Since my anger was feeding on his, and now it was mixed with my shame for breaking my word, it took me a few extra seconds to realize I'd hurt him. He'd hurt me, too.

"You can't say things like that to me and precede them with 'I know you don't like it, but…' That's not how it works," I spat out.

"I was being honest. Besides, it goes both ways. I will not go to a monarch's house without my blood bonded, especially since the news has now spread wide enough. The same holds true for you. You should not go out alone without me unless it's during the day. I only agreed to let you go with your friends the other day because your friend is a fairy and can protect you in my absence. You _are_ an asset to Sophie-Anne. She was the one who wanted to make you part of her retinue in New Orleans, and the only reason she allows you to remain where you are, is because you belong to me." Eric was so mad his fangs had run out fully and his eyes were mostly black pools of nothing.

A knock on the front door of the apartment made us both take notice. Who could it be this late? It was becoming second nature to cast out a mental net and see what I'd dredge up. After everything I'd gone through, I should have been doing it more often.

"It's a shifter," I said to Eric in a low voice.

"It's Alcide's bitch," he said, able to hear her, or perhaps smell her.

"Debbie?" I asked for confirmation.

Eric simply nodded, still looking at me. His fangs were retracting slowly, and the blue in his eyes was returning. "I love you, Sookie. I don't want to argue because my words offend you, particularly when they are true words."

I knew he loved me deeply because his love flared within me. It was still such a surprise to feel that from him. "I guess you caught me off guard. The things I saw… what they're doing to Bill… it's disgusting and now it's in here," I pointed to my forehead. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I didn't want to argue either.

Eric brought me close, pressing his lips to each of my cheeks first, before kissing my lips deeply. We were interrupted by the loud voices coming from the living room. Even without vampire senses I could hear the argument clearly.

"You're the one who won't commit and you show up with that whore. Is _she_ your girlfriend now?" Debbie's voice was shrill and indignant, as if she had the right to move on, but Alcide did not have any such right.

Eric and I looked at each other. There was a smile playing on his lips. If I had been Alcide's real girlfriend, I might have had a problem with Debbie's insult. But since I wasn't, I could let it go and see how ludicrous she was being. I'd seen nothing but her inside Alcide's brain, and she had left him. Obviously the mistake had been hers.

"At least she doesn't ask me to give her a brat every time we have sex!" Alcide threw back at her.

"Um…" I started to say something to Eric but his index finger flew to my lips. He shook his head and leaned forward.

"Let him save his ego," he whispered. I took a deep exasperated breath. He gathered me and made me lay down tucked into him. "Are you still mad at me?"

I was trying to be extra quiet, so I whispered my answer. "I'm still a little mad. The truth is I was thinking that you shouldn't go to see the King by yourself; that I should go with you. But it hurt to hear you say it after saying that I'm the Queen's asset. It made me feel like I'm just another possession."

Eric nuzzled my neck, making me shiver. "You are mine, like I am yours. That is what I meant. You are an asset just like an employee is an asset to a company. Why do you take everything so seriously? So personally?"

"I told you. The things I saw about Bill have me all messed up."

He ran a cool finger over my temple. "I hate it that others can rape your mind in such a way." His voice was a deep bass when he said that. I was taken aback by how he perceived the bad things I saw in others' minds. I knew he didn't like it one bit when the thoughts of others upset me, but he actually believed those people raped my mind. No wonder he'd gone ape-shit on the Rattrays. It explained so much, about everything.

I turned within his arms, looking at him with new eyes. His love within me was pulsating slowly, alternating between it and lust… need. He'd tried to be good, for me. Pam had said it in the beginning: he had wanted to take me, because he didn't know how to earn my love. And why would he want to earn it, anyway? What was I? But he'd found a way, because… why?

We kept making each other mad and forgiving each other, because… why? And why was I trying to make sense of something that made no sense at all? His love was sparked by his need to protect the one who tried to protect him. My love was sparked by my need to protect the one who would protect me. Or was the need to protect a byproduct of love?

All these thoughts ran through my head slowly, tangling themselves like kittens in yarn. I could still hear Alcide and Debbie's voices loud and strident in the living room, but I didn't know what they were saying and I didn't want a recap. I just wanted them to shut up so I could make love to my husband.

"Do you mind if we do something about that?" I asked Eric, and pointed in the general direction of the living room.

"What did you have in mind?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I'm not sure, but I can tell Alcide doesn't want her this way. If she doesn't calm down one is going to end up hurting the other." Both their minds were angry red hazes.

He thought about it for a few seconds, and I could hear every manner of curse issuing forth from _la Debbie_. Holy cow! She could swear like a sailor!

"Let's go. We need some peace whichever way we can get it," he said.

We tiptoed out holding hands. The two lovebirds were so loud they didn't even notice when we first came out, so I cleared my throat and waited until both of them were looking at us. Alcide was devastated on so many levels. Debbie was staring daggers at me, barely registering the fact that a very large vampire was half in front of me. Eric was afraid these two would turn and go at it in their other forms. I didn't need to read his mind to know this.

"Thank you for looking after Sookie, Alcide. If you don't mind I'll take her home now," Eric said.

Immediately Debbie put everything together. She was a bitch, but she was a smart bitch. She thought I'd cheated on my vampire boyfriend with Alcide while Alcide was on watch duty. No way was she going to think Alcide had lied… whatever. It shut them up.

Eric and I left, took the elevator down and went outside of the lobby. It was freezing and I shivered.

"Up you go, my love," Eric said, bending so I could put my arms around his neck. He wrapped my legs around his waist, holding me tight against him, and up we went to the window of Alcide's spare bedroom. It worked. The condo was quiet.

"I can hear them in the bedroom. I believe they're making up," Eric said, not letting go of me as he walked to the bed.

"I want to make up too," I said and kissed his lips gingerly, soft kisses, whispers of what I really wanted. I didn't know it was possible to fall in love again with someone, but I had. My heart skipped a beat when he returned my kisses with his own, his cool breath sweet on my mouth.

We made love like it was our first time, although it was better. I knew how to please him now, and he knew my body too. He moved inside me excruciatingly slow while we kissed, savoring everything our bodies could give, and take. After what seemed like a very long time, our lovemaking morphed into that overwhelming need, the hunger for each other. It was actual hunger: I craved his body as much as he wanted my blood. Eric held my arms over my head, thrusting inside me with purpose, bringing on the little thrills, until he fastened his mouth onto one of my upper arms. He bit, and fed, and his euphoria filled my whole body. It was a miracle I had the wherewithal to remember we weren't alone in the condo, and came with a simple sigh, clamping down on Eric who let out the tiniest whimper as he spilled inside me. We lay tangled together for so long that his body became almost as warm as mine.

"I guess I have to get something to wear to see the King tomorrow," I ventured a guess.

Eric reached for his cell phone on the bedside table. "I'll leave Alcide a message to take you shopping tomorrow."

"Why does he have to watch me during the day? Do you really think the King knows I'm here? And why would he mean any harm to me?" I asked.

"I have no way of knowing any of that. I only know that I want you accompanied at all times. Call it a gut feeling." Far be it for me to question Eric's gut feelings. I certainly should've paid attention to mine more often.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Russell Edgington, the vampire King of Mississippi, lived in a restored antebellum plantation, complete with a huge mansion as the centerpiece. In the night, it looked like a giant three-layered cake. Eric drove the Prius up a very straight, very long drive. Off to the right of the driveway, on an empty field, I saw what looked like the preparations for the concert that was to take place tonight. The King sure knew how to liven things up. The trees lining the drive were heavy with twinkle lights, and between some of the trees he'd put giant cardboard cutouts of Elvis Presley, each one with its own spotlight.

I was nervous, but otherwise okay. Alcide had gone shopping with me, and I'd found something suitable without having to drag him all over God's green Earth. I was wearing a tailored pair of black pants, a black turtleneck sweater, and a blood red wrap that brought it all together in a country-club-wife kind of way. It was perfectly acceptable for the type of weather and the type of visit. Eric was wearing his dark gray suit without a tie.

We parked right in front of the house, and a very tall, very sexy male vampire showed the way to the back of the house. I only noticed a few females, vampires or otherwise, inside the house. The majorities of the people were male, and dressed for a night out on the town… or for the concert, as the case may be.

We were shown to Russell Edgington's study, where he was already expecting us. He was a small man, about as tall as me, with red hair. As soon as he saw me, he stood up and walked around his desk, taking my hand in his and bowing over it.

"You must be Sookie Northman," he said with a thick southern accent. He was the perfect southern gentleman.

I was taken completely by surprise, since vampires tended not to touch anybody during a greeting, but quickly recovered and curtsied as best I could in my red heels. "My pleasure, Your Majesty."

"Your Majesty," Eric said to my left, bowing to Russell.

"Eric! Good to see you again. Please, sit," Russell pointed to two thick leather chairs in front of his desk. We all took our seats. "What brings you here? Surely not the concert."

"Sadly, no, though I am sure it will be quite the experience," Eric answered. "We are here with orders from my Queen to recall Bill Compton, a vampire who owes me fealty and is indebted to my Queen," Eric said, bending the truth a little. Bill owed Sophie-Anne, alright: he owed her a project.

"That is an easy enough request," Russell said, and hit a button on a desk phone. About a second and a half later we saw that he had summoned a thick vampire woman, definitely someone nobody would mess with. "Betty Jo, meet Eric Northman, Sheriff of Area 5 in Louisiana," Russell pointed at Eric. Both vampires nodded. "Eric, Betty Jo is my second. I don't believe you've met before." Russell turned to Betty Jo with love in his eyes. I was positive it wasn't the carnal kind. "Go retrieve Miss Ball and tell her to bring her child. His Queen has need of him."

Betty Jo nodded and left. I was flabbergasted at how easy this was turning out to be. It was like asking a neighbor for a tool back ("Can I please have my Weed Whacker back?" "Sure, here it is! I even put a new string on it."). I began to think differently when I heard the screams coming down the hall.

"I am not letting him go! He's mine, my child," and on it went. This must have been Miss Ball, Bill's maker. She sounded shrill. A minute later I saw why. Two very burly vampires were carrying her into the room followed by Betty Jo. They dumped her to the floor with a loud thump and stayed nearby. Eric stood up at the same time as Russell, and positioned himself to block me from the female vampire crumpled on the floor.

"Lorena, where is Bill Compton?" Russell asked beatifically, as if speaking to a child. "His monarch calls."

The vampire Lorena's dark eyes darted between everyone present, like a mad woman. I wondered if vampires could lose their minds, because she certainly looked like she belonged in a padded room, with her dark hair wild around her. Amazingly she was dressed very well in a black and white cocktail dress. "He won't tell me what I want to know," she said through gritted teeth. "If I let him go he will never come back to me."

"I tire of this, Lorena. First with your female child, now with your male child? That's quite enough," Russell turned his gaze to one of the burly men. "Get Bill Compton so his Sheriff can take him home."

"No, please, Your Majesty. He's mine. He's all I have. I love him," Lorena begged, crawling on her hands and knees to Russell. I had to admit I was morbidly fascinated by the whole thing. It was like a bad soap opera.

The large vampire returned with what looked like a bloody corpse. I couldn't suppress the loud gasp that escaped my mouth. I covered it because I knew I would gasp some more before all was said and done. Immediately tears stung my eyes. Fine, Bill was creepy. Fine, he'd invaded my privacy. But no, he did not deserve what his maker had done to him. When the burly vampire handed the bloody mess that was Bill to Eric, it was all I could do to hold back my sobs.

Lorena chose that moment to launch herself at her child. Since I'd been standing between her and Eric as we'd turned to leave, she knocked me down on the floor in an effort to stop Eric. Before she could reach Eric the burly vampires held her back. Russell was at my side immediately, helping me off the floor, and Eric had already put Bill down on the floor to deal with Lorena.

"That woman attacked my blood bonded," Eric accused Lorena, pointing his finger at her in a damning way. He looked livid, but didn't raise his voice.

"Mr. Northman is correct," Russell said, by my side. He'd pulled me up and was guiding me back to Eric, truly the gentleman. "Betty Jo, take care of it."

The two burly vampires followed Betty Jo out of the room, carrying a screaming and thrashing Lorena. What happened to people who attacked a blood bonded pair? Oh, yes… it was a death sentence. I cringed, but immediately went to Bill, who was lying motionless and helpless on the floor. Before I had a chance to do much, I was pulled by a pair of strong hands, and made to stand farther away. Eric then picked Bill up again and walked out, with me following. He didn't feel the need to thank the King, but I did.

"Thank you, Your Majesty," I said, curtsied quickly, catching a glimpse of Russell's nod, and half ran to join Eric.

I found Eric had stopped in front of another vampire who was bowing to him ceremoniously. "Master Eric," he said, and then straightened up. I almost ended up on the floor again. Let's just say that Bruno's description of the Elvis impersonator had not been accurate. This was no impersonator. There was no way.

"Bubba, nice to see you," Eric said to the man. "Can you excuse us? We're in a hurry."

Bubba/Elvis stepped aside and shot me a smile. I smiled right back, half in awe; half in gratitude for letting us pass, since Eric was too stressed to remember any of his manners.

"Will he make it home?" I asked Eric as we drove out of the King's plantation. Bill was lying in the backseat, too big to fit properly.

"Yes, but he's going to need help," Eric answered in a clipped tone. He was angry, and there was a little confusion coming through. I supposed he was trying to figure out Lorena's motives for being so horrible to both her children, judging by what Russell had said.

We drove in silence for a long time. Bill was unconscious and Eric and I were lost in our own thoughts. As we neared the Louisiana state line, the silence was pierced by a harsh sob from the backseat. I looked back. Bill's face was contorted into a mask of pain. I turned in my seat so I could see him better, and grabbed the hand that I could reach, to see if it would calm him. Eric pulled the car over on the side, and was gone from his seat a second later. He opened the door closest to Bill's head, and tried to feed him a True Blood.

"You'll drown him like that," I said. Bill was lying down completely.

Eric arched an eyebrow. "He cannot drown."

"Fine, but it won't help if he spits it out, unless y'all can breathe blood somehow," I said, starting to get mad.

Eric propped Bill up a bit and fed him the blood. Bill swallowed bottle after bottle greedily. I held his hand the whole time, able to see only some of him where the light of the highway reached inside the car. After about the fourth bottle of blood, Bill fell asleep again. He must have been very weak to sleep at night.

We began driving again towards Bon Temps, in silence for all of two minutes. "He's missing fingers in his other hand," Eric said. He was all sorts of angry.

"What?" I shrieked.

"They'll grow back, but it's a painful process."

I'd finally had enough. "Why did Russell allow this? What is wrong with that woman?" The tears caught in my throat and closed it up. I swallowed the lump painfully. This was awful. Moreover, Lorena had done it before.

"She's gone now. When she hurt you, it gave Russell the perfect reason to dispose of her without having to pay a fine," Eric explained.

Amazingly enough, she hadn't hurt me. Falling on the floor was nothing compared to what she could have done to me. I felt Bill give my hand a squeeze, and I looked at him again. His eyes were open and sad, blood seeping from them too because he was crying.

Eric had called Doctor Ludwig, and she met us at Bill's house. She followed us in holding a small cooler at her side. I could guess it contained real blood instead of the synthetic kind. Eric set Bill on his bed and stepped aside, letting me and Doctor Ludwig tend to him.

I peeled the shirt off him, watching as he winced. Doctor Ludwig finished with the rest of his clothes, while I got something to clean him with. I knew Eric didn't approve, but I had to do this. I'd been feeling so guilty; this would help more than just me. He watched me clean Bill's face of blood, before leaving the room. His jealousy was eating at him, but he understood. Doctor Ludwig was making sure Bill was drinking his blood, while I cleaned him. I reached the hand that had the fingers missing and gasped.

"Doctor Ludwig," I called the tiny woman over. My voice almost failed me.

She examined the hand. "They're already growing back."

"Sookie?" Bill called my name. I looked up, fresh tears choking my words. "It's not your fault. Why do you cry?"

I looked down, cleaning the already clean hand. "I was so mad at you…" Bill didn't understand either. Just as well.

"Go home, Sookie," ordered Doctor Ludwig in a way that said it was not open for discussion.

I joined Eric, who'd been standing right outside Bill's bedroom. He didn't say anything as we returned to the car, driving the minute or two it took to go to my house.

"Thank you," I said as we lingered momentarily on the back porch while Eric opened the door and turned off the alarm system he'd had installed. He turned to me, his expression softening for the first time that night. "Thank you for letting me help," I expanded on my earlier statement.

Eric pulled me inside the house and into his arms. "You're welcome," he said and took a deep breath, stopping short and letting go of the air in a puff. "We both smell like Bill's blood."

"Shower?" I enticed. I wanted to love him and be loved by him. The place didn't matter.

I took off his clothes expertly, wanting nothing more than to feel his soft cool skin against mine. I took my own clothes off too, while he ran his hands over the newly revealed naked skin. We did a slow dance in the shower. First he bathed me and washed my hair, then we switched places and I bathed him, having trouble reaching up to wash his hair. So I watched and touched while he did it himself.

The second he finished rinsing his hair, he pushed me against the wall, grabbing my lips with his while his hands started roaming my body again. He knelt in front of me, lifting my left leg over his shoulder, and lovingly nuzzling my curls. "I could eat you all night," he said huskily before letting his tongue taste me and his fingers invade me.

"Eric," I moaned. I would never grow tired of saying his name, ever. One of his hands was busy at my breast. I took it and brought it up, sucking on a finger to show him what I wanted to do to his cock. I had to let go of it and hold on to his shoulders as I started shaking too much and felt like my right leg would fail me.

"Tell me what you want, Sookie," he spoke into my center, blowing his cool breath into my curls.

"I want you, Eric. Eric, Eric!" I came under his mouth as soon as I said the words.

He turned me around, holding my hands against the wall and bringing my hips back to meet with his. I felt him at my entrance, teasing, pulling forward to touch my sensitive nub and making me cry out and arch my back. He took advantage and entered me. It felt so good to finally have him inside me.

Eric hugged himself to me, bending over me, hugging my breasts, hugging my hips, his bare chest against my back and his voice at my ear.

"I need you, Sookie. I love you. This is right. I waited so long. You feel so good, I love you so much." He grunted and I moaned in response. He reached down to touch me, and I reached down to put my hand on his, guiding him.

"Yes!" I cried out. "Please, Eric, honey," I began panting, completely lost in the feeling of his whole body in and around mine. "I love you, I love you, Eric."

"Yes!" he cried out this time. His thrusts became faster, demanding. I heard him moan softly and soon after he presented me with his bloody wrist. I took it and sucked as he sank his fangs on my shoulders.

There they were, lost in his euphoria and my orgasm: his thoughts. I came off my orgasm fast so I could listen. They were filled with the pleasure my body gave him, the way my skin felt tight around him, the fascination he felt at seeing his light skin on my tanned one. There were other things, deeper wishes and musings that were hidden, that wanted to escape and were about to. But I wouldn't do that to him. I let go of his wrist and his thoughts were silent once more.

**TBC**

**A/N: See? I got them home safe and sound. Now to deal with Hallow…**


	28. Toil and Trouble

**A/N: **I decided we all needed Eric's POV. Truth is I was struggling with Sookie's, mostly. As y'all know by now, this is an alternate timeline set in the present, so Katrina and the oil spill in the Gulf already happened.

I've never written a lemon from Eric's POV before, not really, so beware. This lemon meringue pie is more explicit than others. Rated seriously M.

* * *

**Chapter 28 – Toil and Trouble**

Sookie's little house was an amalgamation of so many smells, I almost wished I could eat. By far my favorite scent was hers. There was a little adrenaline mixed into it, but even before I could smell it I could feel it: she was nervous. She had spent the night before preparing everything for tonight's meal, and had barely let me help her. Surely I could do more than peel a potato. She felt bad letting me help, since I wouldn't partake of the food.

I got dressed quickly in the little spare bedroom, and snuck out the window. It would be better if the people already gathered at her house didn't know exactly where I had come from. Sookie answered the door after I rang the bell, and she threw herself at me, almost spilling the drink she had in her hand. Whenever I told her I missed her, I truly meant it. What I wouldn't give to be able to sleep like a human so I could sleep with her, with the vague knowledge that she was nearby. Her body in my arms was all I needed in this world. She would never believe me if I told her.

"I'm so happy you're here," she said, as if I would be anywhere else. She looked up and saw my confused expression. "I mean, this is my first Thanksgiving without Gran, and she used to cook so good, and I'm trying so hard, and I don't know if they'll like it…" she stopped talking when I put a finger on her lips.

"Your brother and friends are not here simply to eat, Sookie. They're here to be with you. Come on." I steered her back into her kitchen, watching the way that new dress hugged every curve of her sumptuous figure. It was the little number she'd worn to go to Josephine's, the one I hadn't had a chance to admire properly. I was admiring now, but had to tear my eyes away from her swaying hips when we reached the kitchen.

"Eric, you remember my brother Jason," Sookie pointed at the ashen man who was setting the table, "and this is my friend Tara and you know Sam."

Sam was the only one who walked forward to offer his hand, so that the others would follow by example, I supposed. I had never shaken hands with Merlotte, since he knew our customs well. Sookie's female friend was next, and she looked as scared as if she'd seen a phantasm. Her brother wasn't any better, but he had a legitimate reason. Thankfully my hands didn't feel the need to strangle him this evening. Sookie was beaming at our civility.

We made small talk, something I excelled at whenever the need arose, and found out that Tara was dating a fairy man, though she did not know. Sookie shot me a look. I knew she disapproved of the relationship, but not enough to say anything. What could she say? She couldn't explain to her friend that fairies were notorious for their sexual escapades, not unlike Tara's ex-fiancé. The only reason for them to be away from Fairy was to make money and screw. I'd filled Sookie in about the finer points of her fae kindred, just in case she still had any vague notions that they were remotely benign.

"What about Claudine? She really is a very nice person," Sookie had argued.

"She might be working on becoming something else, if that is the case," I said to her. She'd pursed her lips and dropped the subject.

The next time the doorbell rang, I went to get it. It was Pam, and she had brought flowers and a bottle of wine. I arched an eyebrow at her thoughtfulness. Sometimes my child still had the ability to surprise me.

"Dear Abby says it is polite to bring a hostess gift. I didn't know what to get Sookie, but I knew the flowers would be well received. The wine is for dinner," she explained as she walked through the house to the kitchen in the back. I wondered what she would say if she knew I'd peeled potatoes the night before.

Sookie admired the flowers and hugged Pam tight. A sudden feeling of jealousy invaded me, but not because Sookie was hugging her sibling. Sookie had hugged me and Pam, and probably her brother and her friend. She had also, in all probability, hugged the shifter. I stamped down the feeling so I wouldn't make a scene. Lately my jealousy had become nearly impossible to contain. It had all started since Sookie's sudden concern for Compton. There was nothing in her that sparked my jealous streak other than her need to treat people with compassion. She considered vampires people. I had to remember that was why I loved her.

If everyone cared as she did…

Sookie sidled up to me, hugging my waist. She had started welcoming the public displays of affection, and I was sure it was as a response to my jealousy. She looked up at me, her eyes sparkling with thinly veiled desire. I bent to place a careful kiss on her lips, something suitable for the present company. It was chaste, to say the least. I couldn't help that my hands had found the spot where the small of her back met her gorgeous ass. The present company would have to forgive me.

I knew Thanksgiving dinner was supposed to be a smorgasbord, but I don't think I'd ever realized how much food a single human could consume. The lack of magic made them hungry, and apparently expanded their bellies during special occasions. Sookie didn't seem to be able to eat more than her usual, but she said she was going to "make room" for dessert. All she did was sit back in her chair, while the rest of her guests continued on. Her friend Tara, who was thinner but taller than Sookie, was sure eating her weight in sweet potato, while Sam and Jason seemed to be having a contest.

"Sam, I thought you said you were going to Texas for Thanksgiving," I asked, too curious to hide it any longer. Why was he here?

"My mother and stepfather went to visit his family, and I don't know them very well. I decided to stay," he explained, without looking away from his plate.

His answer made sense but it was incongruent with his reaction. I'd never known Sam to avoid looking someone in the eye. I looked at Sookie, and she was slowly rubbing her stomach, focusing too much attention on it. If I hadn't lived as long as I had, perhaps I could have overlooked the subtle signs: Sam's eagerness to shake hands, his avoidance of looking me in the eye, and Sookie's way of trying to ignore it all, so as to not draw attention to him. I felt something akin to rage that I tried to rein in immediately because both Sookie and Pam turned to look at me wide eyed. The only difference between the two women was their feelings to my reactions. Pam's was confusion. Sookie's was fear. She was hiding something.

Dinner couldn't be over soon enough. When everyone moved to the living room to watch football, I grabbed Sookie and kept her in the kitchen.

"What's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my tone level.

She looked up, at least, trying to figure out what to tell me, or how. Her eyes began to fill with tears, though she was trying to hold them back. "The morning after my abduction, when Sam came over, he…" She stopped talking, and I thought I would go mad needing to know what he did to her. Did they have sex? Was that why she was rubbing her stomach? Was she hoping she was pregnant? I imagined all the things I would do to Merlotte before Sookie spoke again. "He kissed me," she whispered, resigned. The reality didn't hurt as much as what I had been imagining, but it was painful nonetheless.

"Why do you tell me this now?" I asked, not knowing exactly who to be mad at.

"Because he apologized and swore never to do it again."

"Why is he here?"

"Because he's my friend, first and foremost."

"He doesn't seem to think of himself as just your friend," I said, trying harder than ever not to tear something apart. Right at that moment a shifter was looking like a good target for my rage.

Sookie let a few tears escape. If there was one thing I couldn't take, it was Sookie's tears. "Eric," she took a deep breath to steady herself. "I don't have that many people in my life who I can count on. You're my husband and best friend, but what happens when you're not available? I would like to be able to say that I only need you in my life, but I can't. My brother is… well, my brother. Tara needs me more than I need her. Pam is only available when you are. I barely know Claudine. Sam is the only person who I can trust with all the secrets, who I can talk to without having to censor myself." She took the handkerchief I offered and dabbed at her eyes and nose. I could feel how the sadness crept within her. "I will not see him again if it's going to cause a rift between you and me."

I was speechless. She offered me what I wanted, but I couldn't take it. I wondered if that had been her true purpose, but the sadness that had invaded her was definitely the only thing inside her. She was not the kind to manipulate anybody, least of all me. That did not deter from the fact that she had hurt me and I was mad.

"What am I supposed to do, Sookie? Forget it happened?" I hissed, trying to keep my voice down.

She shook her head and looked down, finally unable to look at me. "Do what you have to do."

"Eric." I turned to see Merlotte at the door to the kitchen. I almost broke his jaw right then and there. That would teach him to kiss my wife. "It wasn't Sookie's fault. We can take this outside and you can do with me what you will."

"Who do you think I am? Or what?" I asked him. I was the law, damn it all.

"You are Sookie's husband and you have every right to do with me what you will," he repeated.

I studied the man, small but powerful, a soldier, a businessman. A lonely man who was enamored of Sookie's many charms, just like everyone else. "Please leave my house," I said, pointing at the door to the back porch. Sookie turned away rather than watch him leave.

Pam joined us. "You made Sookie leak again." It wasn't a question, and I knew she'd heard everything that had occurred.

"This does not concern you," I said to her. I was mad enough without her defiance.

"Of course it doesn't. I just wanted to point out that Sookie told you the truth when you asked, therefore you know that she did not encourage the behavior or she would have denied it from the beginning. You're both on the same side, here. There is no need to drag this out any longer. Kiss and make up. The game is getting good." Pam turned and walked away.

The absurdity of Pam's reason for making up, and the sudden release of tension, made Sookie start laughing through her tears. My heart softened once more, and I was tempted to follow Pam's suggestion. I walked closer to Sookie, pinning her against the counter where she had been leaning. She stopped laughing immediately and her fear of me attacked her again.

"Nobody touches or kisses you but me, Sookie. Understood?" I asked her, my eyes lingering on her mouth.

She nodded before saying yes aloud. I reached for her face, tracing my thumb over the lips that held me – as well as fucking Merlotte – in awe. I knew better than to deny her the friendship with Sam. If I did, she would seek him and hide the relationship. That simple concept was not lost on me.

I bent to reach her lips, to touch mine to hers, to erase whatever memory she had of Sam's kiss. Her breath was hot, inviting, sweet with the lingering memory of the dessert she had eaten. I wanted to taste her, to see if her mouth was as sweet as I imagined. She parted her lips, allowing my entrance. I was careful not to hurt her with my fangs, but she courted danger by running her tongue over them. At the same time that our tongues tangled in a seductive dance, she reached up to tangle her fingers in my hair. I lifted her to sit on the counter, her skirt giving and rising as she wrapped her legs around me. I pressed my erection against her, hearing her sigh softly. Wanting her like this would be my undoing. It didn't help that make up sex was so exquisite. I'd never had to make up with anyone before.

I could hear her brother walking to the kitchen, but I didn't care. Maybe he'd take the hint and turn around. We were resolving issues and needed a few more moments.

"Ahem!" He wasn't subtle at all.

Without letting go of Sookie, I turned my head to look behind me, where he was standing at the door. Sookie held me tighter, not wanting her brother to see the raging erection she had provoked. I couldn't have cared less if he saw it. We were a healthy couple. What did he think we did? Play house? Besides, from what Sookie had told me, he was a player worthy of his fae heritage.

"Can we have a minute here?" I asked, cross. Sookie was shaking with giggles.

The man blanched, probably at seeing my fangs fully extended, turned around and left.

"I guess I'm being a bad hostess," she said, fixing my hair. I didn't have a ready answer, nor did I care that she wasn't paying attention to her guests. Pam was at home here, her brother was too, and the other guest had been her friend since elementary school. They could spend some time alone. Not that they weren't enjoying each other's company. I could hear Pam pretending to know football so she could yell obscenities at the players, like Sookie's brother was doing, and Tara was laughing at both.

"Wait until they're all gone," I whispered in her ear and felt her shiver.

I had to hand it to Jason. He earned a little of my respect when he stayed to help Sookie clean the kitchen and put away all the food. I suspected it had to do with the leftovers he got to take home. Whatever his motivation, he was acting like her brother for once.

"He was happy to see me happy with you," Sookie said when Jason left.

"I thought you didn't read your family's minds." I remembered she'd said that.

"I'm tired, and he was thinking kinda loud," she said, waving her hand. Well, at least it had been a good thought.

The doorbell rang and Sookie closed her eyes. She tended to do that more often now, checking who was nearby, what they were thinking, whether they were friend or foe.

"Vampire," she declared.

"Sookie! It's Bill Compton!" yelled Pam from the living room. She was watching the highlights of all the football games. She hadn't opened the door; she simply knew it was him.

Sookie looked up at me with a question in her eyes. I shrugged, knowing his motives as well as she did, which was not at all. I led the way to the front door, making a motion for Sookie to stay far away. Pam stood beside me as I opened the door.

"Sheriff. Pam." He bowed to both of us.

"What can I do for you, Bill?" I asked, truly curious about his motives.

"I would like to speak to you and Sookie, if possible. I owe you both an explanation," he said. This I had to hear.

"Sookie?" I said her name and the question was implied. Ultimately, she was the only one who could admit him in the house.

"Come in, Bill," she said, but stood behind me, my smart girl.

Pam, Sookie and Bill all took seats. Sookie was sitting as far away from Bill as the small living room allowed, with Pam sitting next to her. I doubted Bill would attack, but I still remained standing. I was his ruler and I did not want him to forget.

"The King of Arkansas, Peter Threadgill, sent me here to see about Sookie. He did not know that I was Sophie-Anne's subject. I am loyal to her. I still need to tell her what Sookie is, and make it look to Threadgill that I'm working for him. This marriage they're trying to work out has them spying on each other's assets," Bill said. I knew about Sophie-Anne's upcoming nuptials, but would have to verify Bill's status with her. Definitely her wish to have Bill returned lent credibility to his story.

"Why are you telling me now? Are you even allowed to tell me?" I asked.

"It was at my discretion what to say and what not to say. But," he looked at Sookie, "I am grateful for what you did for me. I felt like I owed you a full explanation, so that you would not be mad at me anymore."

"You don't owe me anything, Bill," Sookie was quick to point out.

"I do. I understand that my discretion leaves much to be desired," Bill turned to me. "I apologize for my behavior, Sheriff. I should have trusted you before now and I am sorry I did not. I am grateful that I am free of my maker," he nodded to me, "and for the care you bestowed upon me, which I had no right to hope for," he nodded to Sookie.

Pam arched an eyebrow. "Why did your maker call you? What did she want?"

"She wanted my work, the work that Eric is protecting. It was commissioned by Sophie-Anne, and once it is completed it will be highly profitable for our state," Bill explained.

After Katrina and the oil spill, we definitely needed all the money we could get. But so did Mississippi. I suspected Lorena had been working on her own. In her demented state she thought herself a one-woman enterprise to fill her King's coffers. We had gotten extremely lucky that she had not said anything to Russell, or he would not have been as willing to hand Bill over.

"Come to the bar tomorrow to retrieve your computers," I said to Bill and stood aside. It was time for him to leave. He had caused enough problems, and I did not care if they were his fault or not. In trying to keep up pretenses for the King of Arkansas, he had led the three cocksuckers to Sookie. Later he had invaded her privacy, and even tried to separate her from me. Not to mention that he had gone after the men who attacked Stan Davis' house without so much as a backwards glance to ascertain our wellbeing. The only reason he remained alive was Sophie-Anne's high regard, much to my bewilderment.

"Thank you, Eric. Sookie. Pam," he nodded to the three of us and left.

"I rescind Bill Compton's invitation to this house," Sookie was quick to say as soon as Bill was on his way. "I think I did my job as a Christian to the best of my ability. I'm good," she said, meaning she was done with the whole situation with Bill. She stood up and stretched, pushing out her breasts as she did so.

"It's time for me to go. Sookie, you and I should go to a football game, just us girls," Pam said, standing up too.

Sookie blinked. "I didn't know you liked football." Evidently she hadn't heard Pam's yelling earlier that evening.

"I do now. Your brother was most willing to educate me on the finer aspects, and I love the uniforms. He said you sometimes go to the high school games. Will you take me?" asked Pam with her usual stoic demeanor.

Sookie smiled, and I was about to do the same. "Sure! They have a game next Wednesday night. If the boss gives us the night off…" Sookie and Pam both looked at me, waiting for my answer. Of course I agreed.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The bar felt odd with both Sookie and Pam missing. I did my best to focus on the matter at hand: a proposal for an all-vampire condo building in Shreveport. I could see how that would be a safety hazard for the vampires who would live there. It would be like trying to protect the White House. We would need a large enough perimeter set up around it so that no unauthorized vehicles or persons could get close enough to blow the place up. After the events in Dallas, the possibility that some lunatic would target large groups of vampires was real and chilling. I was vetoing the proposal, but I had to write down the reasons, and back them up with evidence to present them to the board.

"Sheriff, a woman is asking for you," Chow said. The door to my office had been open, so he'd had no need to knock.

I couldn't imagine what woman would ask for me that Chow would feel the need to interrupt. "Who is she?" I asked curtly.

"She says her name is Hallow and that she is a witch, but she smells like Were to me," Chow explained.

I frowned. A Were witch. Not unheard of, but quite rare. "What is her business?"

"She is adamant that she wants to speak with you," he said. Chow tended to be more superstitious than most. Perhaps it was a function of his heritage. He did not want to cross the witch.

"Very well, escort her in. Bring Thalia with you," I said, not wanting to bother with the witch, but not wanting to incur her ire either. As for Thalia, her lack of self-control notwithstanding, she was the strongest and wisest of my people. She could shine a light on this Hallow person.

"Eric Northman," said a tall woman at my door. This had to be Hallow. She was tall, svelte, with long curly brown hair and dressed in white, head to toe. I already felt uneasy. She smelled of Were, of magic, and of vampire blood. I was sure it was too faint for a young vampire like Chow to pick it up, but I could see Thalia was just as wary of the witch as I was.

"How may I be of service?" I asked, standing up behind my desk. I was not in the habit of being the shortest in the room. I pointed to a chair across from my desk, inviting her to take a seat silently.

Before sitting she looked me over with obvious appreciation. I was used to it, but since Sookie entered my life those looks from other women were not welcomed, therefore I did not return them like I would have otherwise. Hallow noticed.

"My name is Hallow and I'm here with a business proposition. I'm new in town, low on funds, and I need a little help," she said. This could not go well.

"What is it you propose?" I asked, trying to move things along. She obviously didn't know how to deal with vampires, and went about her business in a roundabout way. If I let her she would talk my ear off all night.

"Half of your earnings from Fangtasia for the next year so I can keep your club safe," she said, her face opening up with a smile.

Fucking tremendous. Now I was being asked for protection money from a witch. "And if I refuse? Half the earnings would leave me with nothing to run the business properly," I lied.

"You can refuse, but be prepared in case your dance floor develops cracks or bumps and people fall and sue you, or if your bathrooms overflow and cause a flood. I'm sure you want your liquor and blood to taste like liquor and blood as opposed to bayou water. Think about it, gorgeous. I'll give you some time to talk it over with your partners. You can come up with the money up front, of course. I will return for your party on New Year's Eve. I hear it will be amazing." Hallow blew me a kiss and walked away.

I turned my eyes to Thalia who was shaking her head. "She is bad news, Master Eric," she said, stating the obvious. "She is definitely a Were, and she is also high on vampire blood. There is no telling how much stronger her magic is with all the cumulative power."

"That's what I thought," I said. It was time to call the Queen. A problem like this required resources that I simply did not have.

Thalia and Chow left and I called Andre, who answered after the first ring.

"Northman, always a pleasure," said the kid. "How is your wife?"

"She's perfect, thank you. I call to inform you that a witch has come to my area and demanded protection money from me and my people," I said, short and to the point.

"This hardly seems like a problem for the monarchy to address," he opined.

"I would not have troubled you if that was the case. This witch is also a Were that drinks vampire blood."

There was silence on the line. "I will let the Queen know, and perhaps try to find someone to help in Area 5." He hung up. Hopefully he meant another witch would be sent to help. I did not know of any in my area, but there were several in New Orleans who could take on the job.

As I returned to my earlier work, my mind was filled with Sookie and how much or how little I should tell her about this incident. She tended to worry too much, and it affected her sleep. If nothing came of this, then her worry would have been for nothing. She had made me promise to tell her things right away, but this development hardly affected her. Against my better judgment, I decided to keep mum. If things got out of hand, I would tell her everything, but I doubted it would come to that.

Sookie and Pam were sitting in the den watching football highlights on the flat screen when I got home. Sookie was explaining the nuances of the game, while Pam argued about the calls from the referees.

"He did so catch it before his foot went outside the line," she shouted. She was quite animated.

"It doesn't matter what you see with your super vampire vision. What counts is what the ref sees, and they almost never go back on calls," Sookie explained.

"Maybe they should have vampire refs," Pam pouted.

"That would only be feasible for the night games. What are you going to do about the day games?" Sookie asked.

"They should have them all at night if that's the way they're going to make calls. It sucks!" I can honestly say I had never heard Pam use that word. Sookie snickered and started giggling.

"Pam, I believe it is time for you to go home," I said, none too subtly.

"Fine, but this isn't finished. I think I'll start a campaign," she mused.

"Did Pam behave?" I asked Sookie when we were alone in our house.

She giggled before answering. "That was the most fun I've ever had at a game, I think. Pam is a force of nature. She wanted to eat the cheerleaders from the other team, although I'm not sure in what sense," she said laughing.

We were sitting on the sofa in the den, with the football highlights still playing softly in the background. Her laughter and her tight jeans ignited my love and lust, in that order. Time spent without her was a slow torture and I needed her. I pushed a lock of hair behind her ear so I could touch her face unimpeded. That simple touch made my gums itch as my fangs lengthened. Sookie bit her lower lip and I caught a glimpse of that pink tongue. The things that tongue could do to me. I grew hard at the many memories that featured that tongue. I brought her close, to taste her lips and suck on that tongue.

Her hands fluttered before settling on my shoulders. I took one and placed it over my eager erection, giving her the unmistakable hint that I wanted her to do other things as well. She understood immediately, and pushed me back, getting up and kneeling on the floor between my legs. Her smile was wicked yet had a hint of shyness. Her nimble fingers undid my pants and pulled them down. She was trying to be gentle, which I always found endearing. She stopped being gentle when that pretty pink tongue started licking my inner thigh, making its own path until it reached the bottom of my shaft. She laid her hands splayed on my hips and began kissing and licking her way up to the tip of my hard cock. I wanted her to ride me, but I was enjoying this too. It didn't matter. When she slipped my cock into her hot mouth I was undone and a feral growl ripped itself from my chest.

Sookie moaned, sending vibrations up my body that heightened all my senses. Her sex must have been dripping wet, and I had the sudden desire to taste her, to please her, to see her come under my mouth. I lifted her under her arms, and switched places. She was quick to take off her own sweater and bra, knowing my affinity for ripping garments off her delicious body. I took off her pants, enjoying the feel of her soft naked skin under my hands and how the smell of her arousal filled the whole room. I pulled her hips to the edge and buried my face into her warm wet folds. She moaned again, caressing my hair as she let her head fall back in pleasure.

"Look at me, my love," I purred into her. She watched enraptured as I licked a path like she had done to me, circled her clit, and slipped a finger inside her. Her breath started coming faster and trembling in her chest. Her ecstasy flavored her blood in a way that her fear never could. I could hear the blood rushing, pooling; its heady scent was intoxicating. I turned my head and bit her thigh, letting the sweet blood spill into my mouth as Sookie convulsed and called out my name.

I closed the wounds quickly so I could enter her. My cock could no longer bear her absence. It was a living creature that sought solace within the confines of her tight sheath. I moved slowly at first, watching as Sookie writhed and gasped beneath me, playing with her clit to see if it would elicit some more delectable moans from her mouth. When it did I knew I wouldn't last much longer. I moved faster within her, enjoying the slapping sound our hips made when they met with each stroke. I lost control of my body as it sought release within her.

"Eric, Eric," she called my name and shook her head as one long orgasm overtook her, her muscles clamping down around me and milking me. I burst inside her, grunting a prayer as I spilled my seedless seed.

I collapsed, and Sookie took my weight. I remained buried inside her, and she did nothing to encourage my removal, on the contrary: she ran her fingers softly over my back in a soothing motion. She was peaceful, happy; her love glowed within me and lit the dark world I'd been living in until I met her. As much as I liked my life before, I loved my life now, because Sookie was a part of it. She was my own honey-colored ray of sunshine.

**TBC**


	29. Charm of Powerful Trouble

**A/N:** Back to Sookie's POV… Y'all know how I love me some Eric POV, but he's about to get in trouble.

Update: I called New Orleans a state... I did! Talk about a mental fart. So I fixed it (duh). Thanks to my reviewer keske who caught it... and then ran off with Godric and Lafayette! :-)

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_**SONG OF THE WITCHES  
**by William Shakespeare_

_Double, double toil and trouble;_  
_Fire burn and caldron bubble._  
_Fillet of a fenny snake,_  
_In the caldron boil and bake;_  
_Eye of newt and toe of frog,_  
_Wool of bat and tongue of dog,_  
_Adder's fork and blind-worm's sting,_  
_Lizard's leg and howlet's wing,_  
_For a charm of powerful trouble,_  
_Like a hell-broth boil and bubble._

_Double, double toil and trouble;_  
_Fire burn and caldron bubble._  
_Cool it with a baboon's blood,_  
_Then the charm is firm and good._  
_Macbeth: IV.i 10-19; 35-38_

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**Chapter 29 – Charm of Powerful Trouble**

I was having so much fun. Sure, I was working, but this was a treat, and only the vampires could appreciate it properly. And me, of course. It just so happened that Russell Edgington had wanted to appease Eric for the Bill incident, and had sent us Bubba, the Elvis impersonator who really was… Oh, my GOD! He really was the KING! His brain was a little addled because of the way he'd died (or turned, rather). The poor man was found with only the tiniest spark of life by a vampire who worked in the morgue, and was turned, much to the detriment of the real man.

Bubba had been sweet when I first met him in Mississippi, and when we were introduced properly, he was even sweeter. He was like a big kid, very polite, and one had to be careful because he took things literally. But other than that, he was still the best entertainer.

I was tending to my tables, since we needed all the help we could get tonight. It was New Year's Eve, Bubba was singing, the crowd was going wild, and the alcohol was flowing freely. That meant that the drunken brains surrounding me were not really that difficult to keep at bay. People tended to lose their inhibitions, but their thoughts also tended to lose coherency when alcohol was involved. Meanwhile, I was dancing around from my tables to the bar and back, watching Bubba shake his thing whenever I could, and wondering where in the world was Eric. He was missing it all.

Just as we started the countdown to the New Year, I felt his arms circle my waist and his cool breath at my ear. I sank into him, happy that I was able to celebrate this holiday with him. Christmas had been special, but that's a holiday to spend with families, so I'd never spent it alone in my life. I used to spend New Year's alone simply because that's the holiday you spend with your significant other. So, even though I was working and not really celebrating, it was nice to be cuddled when everyone yelled "Happy New Year!"

I turned within Eric's arms, and he looked happy too. I guessed he was just doing it for my benefit. After all, what's one more year for someone as old as him? He kissed me fervently, holding me tight against him, and making it clear to whoever was watching that we were definitely together. And if there had been any doubt, the new band on his left ring finger would have squashed it. It had been my gift to him for Christmas. It was simple, plain white gold, like mine but without the sapphires and diamonds.

"Eric, you need to come now," Pam said at his elbow, looking nervous. Whenever Pam showed emotion I was immediately on notice.

"What's wrong?" I asked, thinking that they better tell me and now.

"Nothing yet," Eric answered, and forced a smile. Too bad for him I could tell what he was feeling. He was in battle mode. "People will be leaving shortly, and I'm going to need you to close," he said. Of course, when he put it that way, I had no choice. The only people that closed the bar were Eric himself, Pam, Thalia or me. It seemed the vampires were going to be busy doing something, and Eric wanted to keep me, the human, from whatever it was.

"Fine," I said peeved. The only reason he ever kept me from vampire business was because he was trying to keep me safe. That didn't mean I had to like being left out.

Sure enough, at around half past one, everyone had already skedaddled, and I was left cleaning up with Gabby, Sophia, Chow, George (all vampires, and all moving at incredible speeds), Ginger, Belinda, and a new girl named Lisa. I was in charge of the cash money and Maxwell (the vampire I'd thought had resembled Denzel Washington) was taking care of the credit card monies.

"What are they doing in Eric's office?" I asked Maxwell. He usually gave it to me straight, and I liked him for it.

"I'm not sure but I know they have a witch in there sent by Queen Sophie-Anne's second. They might be working on a protection spell," he shrugged.

Well, if that wasn't a fine how-de-do. What the hell? Since when did vampires believe in witches? Weren't so-called witches these organic nuts that called upon the moon and the sun? I'd never known Eric to be in any way religious, much less put stock in heavenly bodies. I also knew that Josephine's at Jackson had a spell around it to keep humans out. But we certainly made our business off humans here at Fangtasia. That didn't make sense.

Maxwell saw my reaction. "It's not the kind of witch you're thinking about, and it's not the kind of spell you're imagining. There are women and men who know how to wield magic to do their bidding, and they're powerful."

"Can you hear what's happening?" I asked him.

He nodded and grimaced. "I don't know if I'm supposed to tell you."

I was tired, and bitchy, and about to say something to the fact that I could command him to tell me what was going on when Pam beat me to the punch. She appeared at my side and yanked me from the booth I'd been sitting in counting money with Maxwell. She dragged me to Eric's office, where he was… nowhere to be found. I looked around, feeling a sudden panic for a yet unknown reason. I closed my eyes immediately, searching for him within me. He was there, inside me, but it was muffled, muddled.

"Where's Eric?" I looked around again. That's when I saw the bloody body of a young woman lying on the floor close to Eric's desk.

I looked up, my panic deepening. Pam was clean and the other woman in the room was clean too. Thalia was covered in blood. My heart sank into my stomach and I felt like throwing up. "What's going on?" I asked, pushing the words out over the bile that was threatening to rise up my throat. The penny smell of blood wasn't helping with my nausea.

Pam looked down, so I moved my gaze to the black woman who seemed to be catching her breath. She looked up at me, her eyes wide. "I sent him home."

"What do you mean?" I demanded. I could feel my body begin to shiver with adrenaline. I called to Eric without meaning to.

"That woman was booby trapped with a spell and before the spell could take effect, I sent Eric home," she answered and sank on the couch.

I turned to Pam. "I can't feel him as I should." My voice came out strangled and I started shaking in earnest. My breath was coming in quick short bursts. Eric, my Eric. What was wrong?

Pam's eyes were wide with fear. She knew what I was talking about. Her connection to her maker had suffered as well as mine to my husband. We both looked at the black woman, silently asking for answers.

"He will be wherever he considers home. I don't know how much of the other spell was able to transfer by the time I sent him home," the woman said. "You need to go secure whatever homes he has, because whoever is behind this might go there when they find out this spell didn't work," she said pointing to the woman lying dead on the floor.

"Thalia, you made this mess, you clean it up," Pam barked, grabbed her purse and mine and we were out the door.

"I'll go to Bon Temps. Call me when you get to the other house," I said to Pam right before we got in our cars. Actually, Eric had driven tonight, so I had to drive the Corvette. As much as I wanted to make the Corvette do what it could do, I had to watch it. There were several speed traps set up to catch drunken people going home from New Year's Eve parties. I cursed my luck the whole forty five minutes it took me to drive to Bon Temps.

My phone rang halfway to Bon Temps. "He's not here," Pam said, talking from the house in Shreveport. "And I honestly don't know if he would be at your house."

"He will," I said, hoping against hope that I was right. He'd referred to my house as his house, and I hadn't corrected him because it was true. Whatever was mine was his as well. So by process of elimination… "But can you check Godric's place, just in case?"

Pam said she would and hung up. I was in too much distress to cast a wide enough mental net to catch a cop, so I simply continued driving the speed limit.

I pulled into my driveway, the Corvette bouncing over the uneven ruts that had formed in the unpaved little road. I slowed down considerably. The security lights had been off until I'd pulled up. I quickly turned off the car and ran out, calling to Eric the whole time. If he was anywhere nearby, he would be able to hear me.

I'd parked in front, so I walked around to the back porch, calling Eric. Before I saw him, I felt it. His hunger and his lust came barreling at me and almost knocked me off my feet before he did the job himself. He pinned me painfully against the steps, and for half a second I thought we were going to get naughty out there in the freezing cold. I was wrong. His face was feral, animal. He would hurt me if I didn't do something soon.

"Eric, please, what's wrong?" I asked. My voice had come out small, full of fear.

His expression changed and he moved off me quickly. That's when I noticed he was missing his shoes and his shirt. His eyes never left mine, but now he was afraid. "You know me," he said.

I blinked, my heart sinking again. "Eric? You… are you okay?" I didn't dare move from where I was on the steps. Did he forget about me? Was that the curse? To forget his blood bonded?

Eric ran his hands through his hair and left them tangled in it, as if about to pull his hair off. "You know me?" This time he said it as a question.

"Yes, of course. You're my blood bonded, my husband," I said, completely confused. His face told me he was way more confused than me.

"You're my wife?" he asked. I nodded. "What did you call me?"

"Eric," I answered, a sudden fear overtook me. "What do you remember?" I asked quickly.

He shook his head, looking like a lost puppy with big eyes. His fangs had retracted a little, but his pupils were still huge. I could see them well in the security lights. "I only know I looked around me and I was on the side of a road, so I ran here following my scent."

I didn't know what had happened or how to fix it, but Eric was standing semi-naked in the backyard, and I only had a flimsy dress under my coat, the coat which had been a Christmas gift from him, coincidentally.

"This is your home," I said, not caring about splitting hairs at that particular time. "Let's go inside and warm up," I said standing up. I held my hand out to him. He slipped his large hand into mine hesitantly. I pulled him inside house, and immediately noticed that his feet were leaving red spots on the clean linoleum.

"Holy Jesus, Eric! You're bleeding from your feet." I made him sit on a kitchen chair and got a large basin from under the sink, putting some liquid soap in it. "Here, honey, take off your pants, they're dirty." He stood up once more and stripped. He'd been wearing his red bikini undies. It had been our little joke earlier that evening. I put his feet inside the basin, and he made a hissing sound. I ran to our bedroom and got the blanket I kept at the foot of the bed, to put it around his shoulders for now. I'd go searching for his clothes in a minute, but I needed to tend to his feet first.

"You really are my wife?" he asked as I washed his feet, getting the bits of dirt out of the larger cuts. He'd been running alright. I didn't answer, just wiggled my ring finger. He looked down at his own left hand. "I don't remember…" his voice trailed off.

I looked up at him. His feelings were jumbled again, not right. I could read his face easily enough, though: he was afraid. Well, damn! I was scared too. What was wrong with him? He looked so much unlike himself and it broke my heart. I put a clean dish towel under his feet while I switched out the dirty water in the basin for clean one. "I won't hurt you, Eric," I said to him from the sink.

"I know you won't. You can't," he added.

"But you can hurt me. Are you going to hurt me?" I asked him, bringing the basin back to him. That encounter on the porch did not make me feel all that great about being here alone with him. I lowered his feet back into the basin, considering my next step.

"You have my blood in you. You smell like me. It wouldn't be right to hurt you," he said. Well, not the answer I was looking for, but I took it anyway.

I pulled my cell phone from the pocket of my jacket and called Pam while Eric's feet soaked. "I found a present on my porch," I said the second she answered her phone.

"Thank God! I'm on my way," she said and hung up.

"Who was that on the phone?" Eric asked, his fear flaring.

"That was Pam, your vampire child," I explained and sank back to the floor to check on his feet. They had healed completely.

"Is she the one who did this to me?" he asked.

My anger flared. "No, it wasn't her. A witch did this, and I don't know how. You didn't tell me what you were doing with witches. I didn't even know witches were powerful until tonight," I answered. Yes, I was cross… a little bit. I dried his feet and then set off to clean the floor. I was too tired to do it properly at that moment, so I only passed the wet towel over the blood stains. I'd get it with the mop and the bleach the next day.

"My name is Eric," he said as I passed by him to dump the basin.

I set the basin on the counter and turned to him. "Your name is Eric Northman. You are the Sheriff of Area 5 in the state of Louisiana. You have many businesses and properties, but by far the most profitable is a bar you own in Shreveport called Fangtasia. I work there too. Pam is your child, your second, and your business partner."

"And your name?" he asked, standing up and letting the blanket fall. He walked to me, his lust flaring… but nothing else: no love, no longing… this wasn't my Eric.

I put my hand on his chest and pushed. He let me and took a step back. "I'm Sookie Stackhouse, and I am not a fangbanger." I held my chin up in defiance. "I will not have sex with you because you think you're entitled. I only have sex with my husband."

"You said I am your husband," he said arching an eyebrow and smirking.

I shook my head. "No, Eric. I'm sorry this happened to you, but you're not the same man. We will try to fix your memory, I promise. For now I ask that you please keep your distance."

He frowned, turned, and sat back on the chair while I finished cleaning up. When I turned back to him he was wrapped up in the blanket, his face blank. He hadn't gone into that state of suspended animation, because I could see his eyes moving a little.

"Eric, would you like a blood?" I asked, not really waiting for his answer and getting it from the fridge. He nodded when I finally turned back to him. He had the sad puppy look again, and I felt no hint of his lust. He was fearful again, and confused.

I took deep breaths as the blood heated in the microwave. I needed to calm down. My adrenaline was still raging in a mix of fear and anger. I wondered if he could feel it. I handed him the blood and sat next to him. I'd go look for clothes, I promised myself, but I was exhausted.

"Eric? Can you tell what I'm feeling?" I asked, searching his eyes.

He searched mine too. "I'm not sure. I smell fear."

I nodded. He was probably too confused to separate everything inside his head. That might be the reason why his feelings inside me were a jumble. "I can tell what you're feeling. You're afraid too," I said, waiting for him to deny it. He didn't.

He didn't say anything at all, only looked at me. I looked back at him. He was mine after all, my beloved. I waited until he was done with his blood and pulled him to the bedroom. He let me lead, still confused.

"I'm sorry I didn't give you clothes right away," I said, looking in the closet for a pair of jeans and a shirt. I pulled a pair of socks from a drawer and handed him all the garments. "You don't need shoes here in the house, but you have a couple of pairs here," I pointed inside the closet where I was now putting my own shoes.

I changed out of my Elvira dress and into sweats while he dressed. I could feel his lust but it was tempered this time, like he was trying to behave. I pulled on a pair of thick socks while sitting on the bed. Eric was standing in the middle of the bedroom, watching my every move. I understood he needed to feel safe with me, and to that end I'd let him see me at my most vulnerable.

"Is that our bed?" he asked.

I was startled by his question. "Yes, Eric. But you have a place where you spend your day. You do know you have to hide from the sun?" He nodded and then cut his gaze towards the front of the house. "Do you hear something?" I asked.

"A car," he answered then looked at me scared.

"That will be Pam. Come, she needs to know you're okay," I said, and held out my hand. He took it and squeezed it, looking for comfort. I squeezed his too, giving him what he needed. Halfway to the front door, I turned around and hugged him. I startled him at first, but he relaxed after a moment and returned the hug. I didn't say anything or look at him for fear I'd cry. I simply turned around and continued to lead the way to the front door.

I opened the door just as Pam stepped out of the car. She was before us in a blink, scaring Eric. She gave me a quizzical look before looking at him again.

"Eric, this is your child, Pam. Pam, Eric doesn't remember what happened, or anything about his life," I said to her, watching as her eyes just about bulged out of her head.

Eric studied her, not letting go of my hand. Pam was speechless. I motioned for her to come in so I could close the door, and had us all sit down in the living room. I offered her a blood and she shot me a disbelieving look. I sat on the corner of the couch, with Eric practically sitting on top of me. Pam sat at the chair next to us, looking like somebody had hit her upside the head.

"Do you know who I am?" she asked Eric.

"You are Pam, my vampire child," he repeated. He was merely parroting what I'd already told him.

Pam frowned and looked at me. "Did he remember anything?"

"Not even his name," I shook my head, feeling a new wave of sadness hit me, making my eyes smart with tears. I looked down, trying to contain them. Eric started massaging my shoulder gently, and I knew at once that I wasn't completely lost inside him. His need to comfort was tied to my sadness, even if he didn't know it yet.

"Okay, okay, alright," Pam was looking into the near distance, not really focusing on anything, just thinking. She looked at me, then Eric. "You cannot hurt Sookie," she said to him. Sometimes I wondered who the maker was and who the child was.

"Of course I cannot. She's my wife. I would never hurt the future mother of my children," Eric said affronted. Pam and I exchanged a charged look. Where had that come from? Pam raised a finger about to say something, but I shook my head infinitesimally. If that's what it took for him to curb his baser instincts, then I'd deal with that tiny delusion.

"Alright," Pam said, satisfied. "In that case I'll return to Shreveport. Tomorrow night I'll come back with Octavia to see what can be done about this curse," she stood up.

"Who's Octavia?" I asked.

"That was the witch who sent him home. She will need to figure out what type of curse was put on Eric in order to lift it."

"Wait! Sit down!" I ordered Pam. She arched an eyebrow but complied. "What the hell happened?" I asked, suddenly mad as hell. I'd been sad and afraid for the mental health of my husband, now I was freaking mad. Who had done this to him, and why?

Pam took a deep breath so she could speak. "Eric was approached by a witch named Hallow. She's a Were and also hyped up on vampire blood. She asked him for protection money, and said she would collect on New Year's Eve. Instead of coming herself, she sent one of her followers. Instead of money, she changed her price. She'd asked for half of the bar's profits for a year, now she was asking for only a fifth if Eric would spend seven nights with her," Pam grimaced.

I felt my heart sink again. I don't think my poor organ could take so many emotions in one night. I was sick with jealousy now and felt my nostrils flare in disgust.

"I must have declined," Eric said beside me, rubbing my lower back, trying to comfort me again.

"Yes you did, quite nastily I might add. The witch thought you were about to attack her and set off a spell that had been booby trapped to her person. Thalia tried to stop her by killing her, and Octavia extracted you so that the rest of the spell couldn't take hold. Since we don't know the ultimate purpose of the spell, we don't know if it was successful. Obviously your loss of memory was part of it." Pam exhaled the rest of the air left in her lungs in a big puff of defeat.

Eric took my left hand in his, still rubbing my back. At any other time this gesture would have been completely normal and very "Eric." Now I wasn't sure, but I didn't want to discourage any tenderness from him.

Pam left and the rest of my energy left me. I showed Eric the cubby hole so he could get in it when the time came, and then I moved about the house, checking windows and turning off lights. The window-checking was just me having an OCD moment. I made it to my bedroom… _our bedroom_… and hid under the covers. Eric had kept his distance, and I could still see him standing at the door, unsure and confused. Afraid.

"Come here, Eric," I called to him softly. I couldn't stand his fear, or his confusion for that matter. He stood in front of me. "Get on your side of the bed," I said, still making my tone soft. I pulled the covers down and he walked around, getting in and scooting close to me.

I lied on my back, staring at the dark ceiling, unable to come up with a good enough prayer. I felt Eric's finger trace the line of my jaw and I turned my face to him instinctively.

"Do you really belong to me?" he asked.

I sighed, unable to contain the single tear that spilled. "Yes."

"You're so beautiful, Sookie. I know I hurt you, but I don't know how to make it better," he said. Now _that_ was my Eric talking. I shook with a harsh sob and turned to him. He held me while I cried, into his shirt, exhaustion and sadness finally making me succumb to sleep.

**TBC**


	30. The Best Game the Fairies Play

**A/N: **The big 3 – 0! Yay! I didn't know I had it in me, but I have so many ideas still running around in my head… Thanks to all of you that like my story so much. I try to answer as many of your reviews as I can – so far I've answered them from work, the doc's office, and the grocery store, and of course, from home – but if I missed anybody it doesn't mean I love you any less. It probably means I'm working on _Good Fences_, having fun with Eric over there… ;-)

* * *

**Chapter 30 – The Best Game the Fairies Play**

I felt the bed rise as Eric left it to go to his cubby hole. I had been drifting in and out of sleep, worried about him. I wasn't worried that he would hurt me or take advantage of me. I was worried about his predicament. I took my vows seriously since I'd married him a little over two months before. This was the "sickness" part I'd been fretting about. Eric was sick, and there was no question in my mind that I would stick with him to see this through, whatever the outcome.

Thinking that he'd gone to hide from the sun, I opened my eyes, only to be startled by his blue eyes level with mine. He was squatting beside my side of the bed. Regular Eric knew to make noise around me, so as not to startle me. This Eric didn't know to do that.

"I scared you," he said, cocking his head a little to the side.

"I thought you were inside your hiding place instead of here. You didn't scare me so much as surprised me," I said, trying to take some of his worry away.

He brushed a finger over my cheek. "I just wanted to say good night. I thought you might be awake."

I smiled. Despite everything, I could still see his essence, what had made me fall in love with him to begin with. He'd been the one to tuck me in the night my Gran died, and that night he'd made a gesture not unlike this one, caressing my face. "Thank you, Eric. Good night to you too."

He lingered for a moment and I reached for his face too, putting my hand on his cheek. "You will be fine again, I promise," I said.

"Do you love me, Sookie?" he asked in the quietest voice. He wasn't sure what my answer would be, and even his feelings pointed to apprehension.

I didn't see any reason not to tell him the truth. "Yes, honey, I love you very much."

"How long have we been married?"

"A little over two months," I answered and watched as he spied the ring on his finger.

"Will you be there when I awake?" he asked, lifting his gaze back to me, unsure.

"I promise I will be there," I said, watching as his eyes grew heavy. Daylight was just minutes away. He took my hand, still on his cheek, and kissed my fingers. He gave me one more soft look, and left.

I brought the same fingers he'd kissed to my lips. I felt like a sap, wanting to kiss him like a teenager with a crush. There went my husband, the man that made love to me every night because he was in love with me and me with him, but now it was a one-way thing. He didn't know me, so he wasn't in love with me. There was a lot of lust and a desire to keep me safe when he learned I was his wife. Nothing else. I felt empty and defeated. I hoped the witch Octavia could undo what had been done.

I got up and closed the curtains. I was tired, and I really needed to sleep if I was to spend almost a whole night with Eric. It was not that he couldn't be left alone, but I would feel guilty. I wanted to spend as long as I could awake with him.

With a new determination, I snuggled back into the warm bed and fell asleep. I woke up again at a little after noon, to the sounds of… wood being chopped? I frowned and listened for a long time, unwilling to leave the warmth of my soft bed.

The sound stopped for a long moment, and I heard a key at the front door. It was Jason, I realized. I made a superhuman effort and got up, got cleaned up, and headed out to see what he'd been up to. He was probably hungry, too, and I knew I should eat something.

"Hey, sis! I figured your hours were all discombobulated," Jason said, stacking wood next to my fireplace.

"Yeah… Thanks for getting the wood for me," I said. Discombobulated didn't even begin to cover what I felt at seeing such a gesture from him. I hadn't even asked.

Jason shrugged. "You'll need it. They're calling for snow tonight, not a lot, but it's gonna be really cold."

"How cold?" I asked. It was usually in the fifties.

"They're saying tonight into the morning it's going down to twenty one degrees, and tomorrow it's not getting any hotter than thirty five." He was just a regular Weather Channel junkie.

I shivered, even as warmly clad as I was in my sweatshirt and pants. "Do you want lunch? I don't know what I have, but I'm sure I can find something."

"Sure," he said immediately. _Of course_, I thought. "I'm going to finish stacking the wood."

Far be it for me to look a gift horse in the mouth, but Jason was acting mighty strange. I would have to drill him during lunch. It was obvious something had made him a thoughtful brother. I knew he had it in him, of course. I was nevertheless amazed when I could see the care in him.

I was able to put together some spaghetti with homemade sauce, which took me all of twenty minutes to make. Jason and I tucked in. I was incredibly hungry, and that was the only reason that I polished everything off my plate with amazing speed and gusto. Later I felt sick to my stomach, but decided to ignore it. It was only stress.

"You're not yourself today. Are you okay?" Jason eyed me carefully.

"I'm fine. What about you? How was your New Year's?" I said, quickly dismissing his worry. The less he knew the safer he'd be.

"I spent it at Merlotte's and met the most amazing girl. She's from Hot Shot, but you'd never know it. Her name is Crystal and she's just… We have a date tonight, if you can believe that," he said. That explained it. He'd gotten some the night before.

I was floored. "No, I barely can believe it. Um… Jason…?"

"Yes?"

I was going to say something about how the people from Hot Shot were "other," I just didn't know what kind, and had to stop myself. Jason only knew about vampires, nothing else. I hadn't even told him he was part fairy, like me. I would have to phrase my concern delicately. "You know I have nothing against the people from Hot Shot, but…"

"But what?"

"You know how three years ago we didn't know that vampires were real?"

"Yes."

"Don't you wonder if there are other legends that are real? Other things that we don't know about," I hinted.

"Are you saying Crystal is a vampire?" he asked giving me a look that said I was the one who was nuts.

"No, definitely not. People from Hot Shot are not vampires," I said with finality.

"What are they?"

"I don't know, but I can guess. Let's just say that I can't read their minds the way I can read human minds."

Jason cringed. He didn't like it when I reminded him of what I could do. He composed himself. "What is your guess?"

I took a deep breath and braced myself. I needed to look into his mind to gauge how much of a blow this would be. I took the quickest of peeks. He didn't seem completely attached to Crystal yet. If he had been I would have softened the blow, but since I didn't want him getting involved with any kind of supe… call me selfish.

"I've met werewolves, and their brains are almost as hazy as the brains of the people from Hot Shot. I don't think they're werewolves, though. I do know that whatever they are, they're dangerous," I finished. Hopefully he'd take me seriously. At the very least I could feel the fear rolling off him.

"Shit!" He paused. "You know, Sookie, I should have stopped you from dating Eric. He's dangerous too."

Jason had a point. "I never said he wasn't. But he wouldn't hurt me and he's incredibly powerful, so he can keep me safe from others. I'm also not telling you what to do, only giving you information so you're not taken by surprise. At least I knew exactly what Eric was before becoming involved with him."

This conversation was going nowhere fast. I wasn't sure if Jason understood the enormity of what I was telling him. He was saved by my doorbell.

It was Claudine. I was so surprised that I let her in the house without even thinking about it. "I heard what happened last night," she said without preamble, right after kissing and hugging me.

"Come in. My brother is here and he doesn't know," I said in a hushed voice.

"I understand. Introduce me?" she said as a question.

I wasn't planning on not introducing her, so to me it was a strange request, but I led the way back to the kitchen where Jason was cleaning his plate at the sink. He seemed dazed.

"Jason," I got his attention. He turned and his eyes almost popped out when he took in Claudine. To be sure, she looked as incredible as ever, and that day she was wearing white leggings with a long winter white fluffy sweater that accentuated every curve. "Jason," I said again, and he snapped out of it, "This is my friend Claudine. Claudine this is my brother Jason.

Jason walked like the man who owned that kitchen and offered his hand to Claudine. They were about the same height. I felt a tickle of energy, as if I was about to get a shock from static electricity. Jason jumped.

"I just remembered I have to finish something at home. I'll bring you the shotgun tonight, Sookie," Jason said, and left swiftly.

"What was that?" I asked astonished. "Did you glamour my brother?"

"Not exactly. I helped him remember. And I planted the suggestion that maybe you should have some weapon with you," she looked horribly worried. I was very concerned that her usual smile had disappeared.

"Can I offer you something to eat or drink? I just made spaghetti," I offered. I hated having company go without, even if said company was in severe need to talk, not to eat or drink.

"In a minute, Sookie. Sit, come," she waited until I sat across from her and spoke again. "I heard about the witch that was killed at Fangtasia last night. That Hallow woman is very powerful and she's too close to you for our comfort."

"Who are you talking about?" I asked.

"I'm talking about Hallow, the witch that asked Eric for protection money," she said, as if talking to a two year old.

I rolled my eyes. "No, Claudine. You said 'our comfort.' What are you talking about? And who?"

Claudine blanched. She'd put her foot in her mouth. She looked down at her hands on the table, but seemed to gather her courage and looked back at me. "You do have family in Fairy, and they worry about you. I'm here to keep an eye on you as best I can."

My brain froze, as it had the tendency to do when confronted with too much information. I shook my head to try to restart it, stood up and started pacing. A family in Fairy could mean so many things: my real parents, grandparents, siblings. Was Jason really my brother? He must have been, we looked very much alike… same nose, same eyes.

"I was sent by your great-grandfather. We live for a very long time," she explained. "But that's neither here nor there. Right now I have to come up with a way to keep you hidden from Hallow."

"Hidden?" I asked, effectively coming out of the fog. "Is that woman looking for me?"

Claudine shrugged. "I know she's looking for Eric, and he's your mate. She could try to get to him through you." She scrunched up her face, thinking. "The brooch, do you still have it?"

"What brooch?" I asked. There was only one that I owned, but I wanted to make sure she was talking about the same one. How did she know about it, anyway? Had she seen it that day at the cemetery?

"The one that used to belong to your grandmother. It's a fairy piece. Bring it, I'll show you."

"Wait! How do you know?" I demanded.

She arched an eyebrow. "Sookie, I saw it in your hand when I found you in the cemetery. It didn't use to belong to your grandmother. That piece was stolen and given to her as a gift. But I'm not about to take it back, not when it belongs to you anyway."

"You're being very cryptic," I pointed out.

"Oy! Go get the brooch!" she said, startling me. I'd never seen her mad. I did as I was told and put the brooch in her hand. She closed her hand around it and mumbled something. A light came out of her hand, enveloping her whole arm and part of the table in it. The light receded slowly and she opened her hand, handing me back the piece of jewelry. "Wear this always, even if you just put it on your underwear. Take it with you when you bathe and when you sleep. It will make you invisible to Hallow's charms."

"What about Eric?" I asked.

"I'm hoping the other witch, Octavia, can help with that. I can't manipulate his magic, being natural enemies and all, but the witch can. Put the brooch on," she ordered, since I was still holding on to it.

Again I obeyed, but then turned to her, my heart beating fast with anger. "Spill," I commanded.

"Fine, but only because I have to. Your great-grandfather asked me to keep an eye on you. I'm working to become an angel, so watching over you is the perfect assignment, other than my duty as your cousin."

"You're my cousin?" I interrupted.

"First cousin once removed. Your great-grandfather is my grandfather. As for your origins… are you sure you want to hear the story?" she asked, eyeing me carefully. She was the second one to do that today.

"Might as well. I'd hate to find out any other way," I answered.

Claudine gave me a sad smile. "I understand," she took a deep breath. "Your great-grandfather, Niall, had two children with a human woman. Their names are Fintan and Dermot. They're half fairy, half human. Fintan fell in love with… your grandmother, and your grandmother had two children by him, your father Corbett and your aunt Linda. Then your dad had you and Jason. So, for all intents and purposes you're one eighth fairy."

_Well, butter me up and call me a biscuit. _I could feel it all crashing around me. "What?" It was all I could say, and even that came out strangled.

"I'm sorry," she said and put her hand on mine.

"I'm not a Stackhouse," I whispered. She shook her head. "Gran cheated?" Claudine nodded.

"Your last name, by all rights, should be Brigant. Although you've chosen a mate, so now it's Northman, right?" She paused, still sensing my shock. "The man you call your grandfather couldn't have children. He was a good man and brought up Adele's children as his own."

I remembered my Grandpa Stackhouse, always a gentle soul. He hadn't minded my freaky quirk either. He'd read stories to all three of us grandkids, and he'd been an ace at making corn bread. I was just a little girl, but my opinion of him couldn't have been far off. He'd been good to us, therefore he'd been good.

I shook myself. Wallowing in the past was useless. Now I knew the truth, and eventually I would internalize it. Right now I had other fish to fry.

"How did you learn about Hallow?" I asked.

"She's boastful. She invited Claudette to a meeting, thinking she was a witch. When Eric did not appear beside her, she vowed to find him and enlisted the help of all present. Claudette vaguely remembered that you were mated to Eric, so she told me as soon as she got home. I've been in Fairy all morning trying to figure out the best way to fix this, but for now the brooch is the best thing for protection," she explained.

Something else was prickling at my understanding. "You keep saying I'm mated to Eric, and I can understand that easily enough, but not your choice of words."

Claudine smiled. "That's easy. We fairies pick a mate with whom to procreate. Once that's done, and the kids are grown, we move on. It's a type of magic that bonds us to the parent of our child. Of course, in your case you're bonded with Eric's magic as well, but don't be fooled: you chose him too."

My head started hurting. I put my cheek on the cold table, knowing that it wouldn't help. "So let me get this straight: my grandmother cheated on my grandfather with a half-fairy man and that's how I come to have my fairy ancestry. You were sent by my family to keep an eye on me. Now Hallow is trying to get to Eric through me, so you have to protect me. That's not counting the fact that I'm not only a freak who can read minds, but I also went ahead and chose Eric as the future father of the children I'll never have. Have I gotten all the finer points?"

I couldn't see Claudine's face, and she couldn't see mine, so she laid her cheek on the table to look me in the eye. "Yes, that's most of it." She was smiling. "It was actually a good thing you felt like speaking to your grandmother that day at the cemetery. None of us knew how close you'd come to danger until Fintan heard you."

"Fintan?" I asked. There had been too much information. I didn't know who she was talking about.

"Your grandfather," she supplied helpfully.

Realization hit me like a sack of potatoes. "He was there," I said, wide-eyed, remembering the beautiful man who I'd thought looked like a vampire. "But he looks so young."

"I told you we live for a long time. That applies to half-fairies too." Claudine took a deep breath, looking contrite. "I'm really sorry to have put all this on you. It's been an eventful few months, huh?"

I nodded. All this had started when my dumb cousin had opened her mouth to speak about me, to boast, even. And here was my other cousin, way more extraordinary than me by many leaps and bounds. Thank goodness Hadley didn't know about Claudine. I raised my head from the table, since that hadn't helped my headache. Claudine imitated my movement and we both sat in silence for a moment.

"Is Eric alright? Did any part of the other spell take hold?" she asked.

I nodded, dejected. "He lost all his memory before Octavia could send him home."

"He was supposed to be transported to Hallow's side instead," she said in a quiet voice.

I felt cold but started sweating, and felt like I would throw up everything I'd had for lunch. I took very deep breaths, counting to five on the inhale, five on the exhale, to keep the nausea at bay. "Why?" I asked, though I wasn't expecting Claudine to have a ready answer.

She answered anyway. "My best guess is that since Eric is a very old and very powerful vampire, once Hallow talked him into giving her all his wealth, she'd drain him dry. If she didn't sell his blood – which I'm sure is highly profitable – then she would use it to increase her own power."

The memory of what I'd seen in the Rattrays' minds, the drained vampires, crashed into me and I felt like I was sinking in my chair. She read my mind and cringed. "That's not your memory," she pointed out.

"Of course not. I could never do that," I said, defensive.

"That's not what I meant. You seem to be seeing it as if you were the one who'd done it. It must have affected you a lot," she mused, studying me. I was showing her other things that had affected me, and I didn't care if she'd gleaned them from my mind before.

"I'm strong enough, Claudine. I'll do what I have to do to get Eric better, but I'm scared that Hallow will just keep trying to get him, or any of countless other people who I care about. At least two of Eric's people are actually more powerful than Eric." I put on my big girl britches. The time for the pity party was over. "Who is this Hallow, what is she doing here, and how do I stop her?"

Claudine smiled in an almost evil way. "Tell me she hurt you," she prompted.

I thought about it. Hallow had hurt the most important person in my life, therefore she'd hurt me by proxy. "Hallow hurt me."

Her evil grin widened. She almost looked deranged, but I liked it. Suddenly she let me into her mind, and I saw visions of her and her siblings in battle. She was holding on to the severed head of what looked to be a goblin, laughing her head off when the goblin stuck his tongue out. She was a warrior; my whole family was.

"Then it seems to me that we need to address this threat," she concluded.

"Good," I said, infusing my tone with venom.

Fucking Hallow! She wanted to mess with me, fine. Now that I knew my powerful family had my back, I'd give Hallow a rude awakening. Bitch.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I sat on the bed of the spare bedroom, waiting patiently for Eric to come out of his cubby hole. The witch Octavia had called and said she was on her way with her assistant, and I had no doubt that Pam would come as soon as she woke up for the night. At some point I was also expecting Jason to drop off his shotgun. I was having a full house tonight, so as soon as Claudine left, I set to clean house. I had a new sense of purpose. I had tied my life to Eric's to save myself from servitude to a vampire queen. All my life I'd been made to witness other people's perversities inside their brains. I'd just been told that the person who I thought was above reproach had actually cheated on her husband, enough times to become pregnant twice. And NOW the best thing I've ever had in my life had been taken away by a Were witch doped up on vampire blood. Yeah… NO. I was done. I had new tools at my disposal, namely a family full of super creatures, and I was going to use them.

The door to the cubby hole opened, and Eric emerged slowly, sniffing the air like a cat and making no noise. He moved his gaze to me and smiled. I thought my heart might melt.

"Sookie, your house smells delicious," he said. No "good evening," no "how was your day." I'd have to school him in the fine art of being Eric.

"Thank you. I have clean clothes here for you. We're having company soon, and I know you like to shower right after waking," I said, standing up and handing him the clothes... or trying to, rather, because he didn't want to take the bundle.

"It smells…" he closed his eyes and the tips of his fangs ran out, "like fairy." His voice was dreamy, and when he looked at me again, his eyes were too.

"My cousin Claudine stopped by. She's a fairy. I'll air the house if you can't control yourself," I said in a stern voice. I'd taken a shower, but I guessed the scent lingered inside the house.

Eric eyed me hungrily… he actually _was_ hungry. He'd have to settle for a True Blood, 'cause he wasn't having any of my blood anytime soon. "Go shower quickly, please."

"Yes, wife," he said, smirking and taking the clothes. He didn't move from his spot, and waited until I walked away to follow behind me. Yep! There was the lust. He was probably staring at my butt. He was welcomed to look, but not to touch. On the other hand, his feelings were not as jumbled as the night before. Perhaps his mind had healed a bit while he slept.

I led him to the bathroom, where I turned the shower on for him. I wasn't sure how much memory of the simple things he had retained, and I didn't want him to burn himself with hot water. Sure, he'd heal, but why hurt him? By the time I turned around to leave him, he was standing in front of me, naked. His gracious plenty was beckoning.

I shut my eyes tight. I could not, would not give in to my baser instincts for a romp in the sack, not even with the body of my husband. "Eric, the same rule still applies now as it did last night. I will not have sex with you."

"Sookie, you hurt me with your assumption. It's true that I would like nothing more than to take you and fuck you. Can you blame me? But I shall honor your wishes, my beautiful wife. I know you will yield to me, eventually," he said with a confident smirk.

I opened my eyes. I was beyond angry, and my voice came out hot and menacing. "You and I don't _fuck_. You and I have never _fucked_. And don't you DARE use that word in front of me ever again, Eric Northman!" I pushed my way out of the bathroom, after seeing his smirk disappear into a frown.

I went to the kitchen. I needed something to calm me down. Tea would have to do, since I barely ever had alcohol in the house… though I could have used a stiff drink or two. I'd never been that cross with Eric before and I felt guilty. After all, he wasn't himself. I was going to have to be more patient. The guilt I felt doubled when he walked into the kitchen, looking confused with messy wet hair. _Oh, God! I shouldn't have yelled at him…_

"Eric, please sit down," I said in a much softer tone, pointing to the chair at the head of the table. He obeyed and I went to get him a blood. I left him drinking it while I fetched the hairbrush we always shared and a hair band.

"I'm going to fix your hair, is that okay?" I asked, standing behind him. He nodded, and I proceeded to work out the knots. It was nice to do this for him. I could pretend everything was normal.

"I thought you were angry with me," he said. I felt his confusion.

I took a moment to get over my guilt enough to speak. "I was angry because of the way you spoke to me, but I'm not angry anymore."

"I hurt you again," he said. "I don't know how to be around you."

I took a deep breath, trying to stop the tears that were threatening to spill again. "Don't worry, you will learn. I didn't mean to be so cross with you and I'm sorry."

His hair was up and his neck was bare. Did I dare? Before I could talk myself out of it I bent and planted a lingering kiss on his soft skin, taking in his sweet scent before pulling away. I felt his confusion settle as I walked away to put the brush back in the bathroom. When I returned to the kitchen he turned in his seat to look at me.

"May I kiss you too?" he asked, still sitting and looking at me expectantly.

I got close enough to him, not quite thinking about anything but the fact that I wanted him to kiss me, and being driven by something bigger than myself. He stood up and took my hands in his. I looked up, expecting him to kiss my lips, but he bent to kiss my neck instead, in the same way I'd kissed his. I got goose bumps and felt my body tremble. I almost gave in, almost, but was saved by the doorbell. I closed my eyes and scanned the minds behind the door. One mind was serene, and the other was a very loud broadcaster who was wondering what kind of silly woman had married a vampire.

"Come on. The witches are here," I said.

Eric didn't budge. "Are those the ones who hurt me?" He looked scared, but was feeling angry.

"No. It's Octavia and her assistant. Octavia sent you home so you couldn't be transported to Hallow with no memory," I said. There was so much I had to tell the witch, I was almost hopping at Eric's hesitation.

"And you trust them?" he asked.

"I have no reason not to. Eric," I took a deep breath. He didn't know of my quirk. "I can read human minds. I can see if someone has any intention of harming me or you."

"Are you psychic or telepathic?" he asked. I had an odd feeling of déjà vu.

"Telepathic," I answered. "Now come, they're waiting."

I opened the door for Octavia and her assistant, and got to see the old witch clearly for the first time. She was as tall as me, in her early fifties, though you wouldn't know it by looking at her porcelain coffee-with-cream skin. Only her cropped short hair gave her away with tiny bits of gray peppering the black. Her assistant was no older than me, but looked like a Real Housewife, with designer jeans, a fancy jacket and boots, and her black hair expertly cut into a shiny bob. She looked like the quintessential snow bunny. I wouldn't have been surprised if she was married to a sugar daddy… _Look who's talking_, I chastised myself.

I showed them in and quickly offered them something to drink before we started the introductions.

"I am Octavia, and this is my assistant Amelia. Nice to meet you properly," she extended her hand to me and to Eric.

"I am Sookie, Eric's wife," I said, not feeling the need to introduce him. If they didn't know who he was by now… "I have some information that can help you," I said immediately.

We all took our seats. I decided not to wait for Pam. She'd find out everything eventually. I needed the witches to get on with it as soon as possible. Eric sat half hidden behind me, just like he had the night before. The witches took the side chairs.

How to tell them the story without giving away too much? Oh, screw it! They wouldn't know who I was talking about. "My cousin, a fairy, was invited to Hallow's place last night. Hallow thought she was a witch. Apparently Hallow's curse was to erase Eric's memories and transport him to Hallow's side, presumably to steal his money and drain him dry," I said. Eric stiffened beside me and held my hand tighter. He was all kinds of angry. "You stopped half the curse by sending him here," I told Octavia.

"Thank the goddess it's something simple! I was hoping she wouldn't be too smart with her spells. I'm sure the witch's brain isn't all there, hopped up on vampire blood as it is," Octavia said. Her thoughts weren't as clear as her assistant Amelia's, but she was radiating relief.

"So you can reverse the curse?" I asked, not allowing myself to become too excited. It couldn't be this simple.

"I can, but we have to wait until the fourth, when the moon is new, for my spell to work. That's when Hallow's power will be at its weakest, since she's a Were," the witch explained.

Pam arrived then. She was talking football with my brother, who had arrived at the same time. They came inside laughing with each other. I whispered to Eric that the man was my brother Jason, and that they knew each other.

"Sis!" Jason set the gun down against the wall. Sometimes he surprised me by how smart he could be. He hadn't put the shotgun away in the closet so that nobody present would know where I kept it. I'd read that right off his brain before I reinforced my shields against him and Amelia, who was holding one of the loudest mental conversations I'd ever heard. Holy God! The woman had a ready opinion about everything!

"Thanks, Jason. Can I talk to you for a second?" I asked, getting up. Eric let go of my hand reluctantly and let Pam sit beside him. I tugged Jason to the kitchen while Octavia filled Pam in on the plan.

"What's up?" he asked, worried.

"There are really bad people looking for Eric, and nobody can know that he's with me. So if you hear anything you need to tell me right away, and if anybody asks, no matter who it is, you tell them you don't know anything. It's as much for your safety as for his," I said in a low voice.

Jason frowned. "I'll do it, Sookie, but you have me plenty worried. First the shotgun, now this? Are you going to be safe here?"

"I am," I said, then changed the subject. "How about you? Are you going out with the girl from Hot Shot?"

"I canceled, but you need to give me the phone number of that friend of yours. She was smokin' hot!"

_And your cousin_, I said to myself. "Alright, I will, but not right now. I need to get back there," I said, pointing to the living room.

Jason left through the back door, sensing I was not all there and needed my space. When I returned to the living room I found the witches beating my curtains with leafy sticks. I raised an eyebrow at Pam and she shrugged. I sat next to Eric, and he immediately put his arm around me and brought me close. He was feeling less angry and more uneasy, and his confusion had returned as well. I patted his knee to try to comfort him.

The witches went all around the house, beating my curtains and chanting something, while Pam, Eric and I sat patiently.

"They're putting a charm on the house to make it invisible to magic, they said," Pam explained. It sounded like what Claudine had done to my brooch, which was now attached to my panties to keep the silver away from the vampires. "Why does your house smell of fairy?" Pam asked.

"My friend Claudine was here. It turns out she's my cousin. It's a long story. Her sister Claudette was the one who Hallow invited to her little party last night. That's how I found out the exact nature of the spell," I explained, watching as Pam's eyes got wider and wider.

"When Octavia told us you knew someone who had been there, I didn't for a minute fathom it had been a fairy relation," she said, her face settling back to her usual blank expression. "You're going to have to tell me the long story soon."

"I will, I'll tell you both everything later."

Everybody left, eventually, and I was left alone in a freezing house with my poor memory-deprived husband. Three days. In three days I would have him back to normal. How long does it take to have your heart broken completely? I figured it was way less than three days.

**TBC**

**A/N: **So what's the best game the fairies play? *Wrings her hands and laughs evilly*


	31. Understanding

**A/N: **Thank you, as always, for bearing with me when I switch the story up a tiny bit… a teensy weensy bit. Sometimes I get these crazy ideas and I just have to run with them. I blame my crazy muse, the one that looks like Salma Hayek in _Dogma_… y'all know my muse… the one who's an exotic dancer by day then makes me listen to crazy music by night and makes me say that New Orleans is a state… that one.

It's the same one that suggested that MAYBE it would be a good idea to get this from Eric's POV. Stupid muse made me cry… No kidding! I was bawling! Hubby was concerned for my mental state.

* * *

**Chapter 31 – Understanding**

Sookie… even the name was sexy. She said she was my wife, and my child Pam concurred. For someone who had lost all his memories, I could certainly understand that I was one lucky bastard. I'd offered to light the fire in her fireplace, but she didn't want me to get too close to fire, not until she'd put the screen in front of it. So instead I watched her, mesmerized by each movement of her sumptuous body.

"Sookie?" I said her name to get her attention, and to hear my own voice say it, to wrap my tongue around it like I wanted to wrap my tongue around her. She turned to me with a slight smile. She was trying to make amends for yelling at me earlier, when I was the one who owed her an apology. But first I needed to understand… me. "Can you tell me more about me, about us?"

She straightened and smiled a little wider. "Sure, I'll tell you everything I know. I have to go get something, and I'll be right back," she said, and walked away. I could hear everything she did. She'd taken off her shoes, opened a closet door, closed it, then moved to another part of the house, opened another door, retrieved something that sounded like cloth, closed the door and returned to me. She had a quilt in her hands, something that looked old and worn, and soft and comforting. She laid it in front of the fire and sat on it. I followed.

"Where should I start?" Sookie asked, watching as I sat in front of her. I stretched my legs beside her, and she curled up, hugging her knees.

"How did we meet? That's a good place to start," I answered. She nodded and her face took on a far off look.

Something moved within me. Sookie began telling me the story of the night we met, her expressions changing as the story progressed. She'd started with a frown and ended with a smile.

"I even told my Gran about you. You'd been so polite to me, nothing like what people make vampires to be," she said. She hadn't looked at me up until that point. The minute she did she blushed, her cheeks filling with crimson. It added a new dimension to this creature. She was proud, but shy.

"Then I visited your bar, and you offered me a job, probably to keep a better eye on me," she continued the story, and I felt something else. If I didn't know any better I'd say she was transmitting her feelings, because this new anger wasn't mine. I listened intently. "You kissed me, and I didn't know what to do with you!" she smiled and the anger dissipated, followed by a feeling so deep and all-encompassing, that I couldn't name it. All I knew is that I wanted to wrap myself in it. Was it mine? Was it hers?

She related a story about a bartender who had stolen money from me, and I had engaged her services to verify the robbery. She'd gotten hurt, and I felt her alien fear. It was definitely hers. She was inside me. I couldn't remember anything about my life but I understood certain things. There were two types of blood bonds with humans: one to keep a human as a food source and a day person, someone to be at a vampire's beck and call. The second was a love bond, something rare. Sookie was my wife, my _love_ blood bonded. I had done this. I could feel what she felt because I cared. I felt my lust dissipate and turn into something else as I began to understand. I needed her.

"We went on a date set up by Pam," she started, and told me about our first date, how I had given her my handkerchief when I knew she would cry, how I had helped bring things inside the house, how she had gotten attacked.

"What?" I interrupted, feeling her fear mingled with sadness, and my own rage creeping up.

"This man had taken it upon himself to kill women who dated vampires. He saw me with you at the Knights of Columbus, and left the meeting early to wait for me here, to kill me. You saved me, but…" Sookie took a deep breath that shook inside her chest. She looked up and tears were brimming in her eyes, threatening to spill. I hurt for her, wanting to cry with her. I moved closer, moving slow so she would see me coming.

"You stayed by my side the whole night, watching over me in the ambulance, asking after Gran when we got to the hospital, offering me your blood to heal me so I could go to her. You were with me when they took her off the machines, and you stayed with me while I filled out paperwork. You even sent Pam to find out what had happened with the man who tried to kill me," she sniffled and several tears spilled from her eyes. I touched her cheek and wiped the tears. They smelled like her, like her blood. I wanted to lick them, to take her inside me that way.

Sookie looked into my eyes and I couldn't move anymore. "You tucked me into bed that night," she smiled through the tears. "You tucked the covers so tight around me I couldn't move. I'm happy Gran met you. She really liked you." She adjusted her posture, lowering her legs to cross them in front of her, one of her knees grazing the top of my leg. It was an intimate touch, even if it didn't look like it.

"The night of her funeral you came and rescued me from everybody who still lingered in the house. Then you stayed and kept me company. We watched a funny movie," she sniffled again and looked down and her hands on her lap. I moved my hand from her face and took her hands.

Instead of resting her hands in mine, she held on tight. "The truth is, Eric, that you loved me. You loved me so much from the beginning, and I fell in love with you so desperately. I don't know how to be without you, not even like this. You tell me you miss me when you wake. You ask me about my day. We make love every night, even when we don't have sex. You pray for me in Old Norse, you call me Svanmeyja," her tears had stolen her voice. "I am so mad that somebody did this to you, that you don't remember me and that I'm the only one with the memories of our love."

Her sadness hit me so hard, her love tangled in it. She was trying to make me understand, and I felt like crying with her, missing something I couldn't remember. I needed this as much as she did. My body needed it. I pulled her to sit on my lap and held her trembling body against mine. Even if I couldn't be her husband now, I could still be hers. I understood. She turned into my embrace and fastened her arms around me, sobbing and screaming her pain into my chest. I cried with her. I understood.

She stopped crying suddenly and looked up. "Eric?" she said my name and her eyes filled with wonder. "Do you remember?"

I shook my head, hating myself for dashing her hopes. I just wanted to love her. I needed to. It was imperative to soothe her ailing heart.

The wonder in her eyes didn't leave at my confession. "But… I can feel you," she said, and scrambled out of my lap. I felt empty immediately. She knelt beside me, pulling my legs apart and moving to kneel before me. She took my face in her hands and wiped my tears, first with her fingers, then with the sleeve of her sweater. She let go of my cheeks briefly, to guide my hands to her waist. I was confused. Did she want me?

Sookie stroked my face and hair. I felt that intense emotion that generated from deep inside her, and I let it wash over me. It was more than love. She lowered her lips to mine and kissed me softly, hesitating at first when I didn't respond. I wanted to return her kiss more than anything, but I didn't want her to think I was feeling lustful. Her lips demanded a response, so I kissed her back, moving my hands from her waist to her face. I took a deep breath, taking her scent inside me at the same time that her tongue tasted my lips. It was electric. Her kiss made me feel complete; I had come home. I understood. It wasn't that I had made her mine. I had become hers. Her mate. Her husband. Her heart.

She pulled away, trying to catch her breath. She smiled shyly, and I smiled with her. She wasn't as sad as she had been. She felt… hopeful.

"You're still my Eric," she said in a quiet voice.

I rearranged her to sit on my lap again, hugging her to me. "Tell me more," I said, wanting to hear everything.

She told me about our second date, the stories I'd told her about the wonders I'd seen, how I showed her to dance to Latin music, and later. "It was my first time, I was a virgin," she said in a tiny voice.

"You gave me your virginity," I said feeling something close to humility. She'd given me the highest prize her body could offer other than a child.

She shrugged, as if it was nothing. "I was in love, even if I couldn't acknowledge it yet. You were very tender and very patient. The next night, after making love a second time, you told me you loved me. I didn't believe you…"

"Why?" I asked immediately. I loved her NOW and I barely knew her.

She looked at me with wide blue eyes. "You're over a thousand years old, and you can have anybody you want…"

"I don't want anybody. I want you," I said immediately, feeling the conviction in my words.

She smiled. "Yes, that's what you said that night too," she said in a quiet voice.

Sookie grew quiet, staring at the flames and holding onto my left hand. She was absentmindedly caressing the ring I wore. She wore one too, on the same finger as me. I wish I could remember our times together, our wedding, our first kiss, the first time she danced in my arms. This was truly the curse upon me: forgetting the time I'd spent with my blood bonded. My wife. We could make new memories, and I could rebuild my life even if the memories didn't return. What I'd lost, however, had hurt Sookie beyond measure.

"Would you like to watch a movie?" she asked, looking up.

"A movie sounds great," I answered. She looked tired, and I didn't want to add anything else to her weariness. The story of us would have to wait for another day.

I stood us up from the floor and let her pick a movie. We lied on the sofa under the quilt and watched a funny animated movie. "You were the one who left it here," she had said, pointing at the box that contained the small disc. I could believe it, since I was finding the movie quite enjoyable.

Sookie fell asleep in my arms before the movie was over. I hit the "Power" buttons on the remote controls she'd left nearby, and carried her to the bed. I tucked her in, probably too tight, and set off to find myself inside this house. I knew I had clothes, and I knew I slept under the spare bedroom often. What made this house my home? I opened her bedside drawer and found a calendar for the month of January. I retrieved it to find a picture of me on the other side of the folded page. I had written on it: _To my gorgeous wife Sookie, the only one I want in my bed. Love, E._

I smiled. This was obviously a calendar marketed at my bar. I wondered how I had talked her into letting me take that picture. There was a romance book next to a small container of hand lotion, and a note tucked inside the book. _Thank you for a wonderful night. I am looking forward to many more by your side. Yours, E._

The only night I could ever think to thank her for would have been our first night making love. I couldn't understand why she had saved the note inside this particular book. I sat on the floor and read it. It was about a penniless governess and her vampire lover. I smiled to myself: Sookie was just a girl inside a woman's body. How old could she possibly be? A quarter of a century, perhaps? She said I was a thousand years old, and that I spoke Old Norse. Had I really been around that long?

I put everything back as I'd found it and went to the dresser. There was a men's cologne next to her perfume, and two drawers with underwear for men. For me. It seemed like not enough clothes for both of us, like this wasn't our permanent home. No matter. Sookie was here, and wherever she was there I ought to be.

I un-tucked the blankets and got in bed beside her, wanting her warmth and her scent. I ignored the hunger for blood, for Sookie's blood, and settled beside her. While she dealt with trying to lift the curse off me, I could be here for her. I understood. I understood why she said we'd never _fucked_. I understood her anger and her guilt. I understood my need to be beside her. Last night had been a jumble of confusion and too much information. I didn't feel her, and didn't understand. I felt her tonight. I understood.

Sookie woke but didn't stir. I knew she was awake because her feelings told me so, as well as the slight change in her heart rate and breathing. She remained still for a long moment, then took a deep breath and sat up.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I have to brush my teeth," she said and got up, moving slowly to the bathroom. I followed, my curiosity getting the better of me. I sat on the toilet's closed lid and watched her, as mesmerized by this simple routine as with anything else she did. She put her hair up, brushed her teeth with a mint paste, washed her face, put a lotion on it, then another, then finally let her hair fall back down.

"You like to brush my hair," she said softly, handing me the brush she'd used on me earlier. I was eager to touch her, so I ran the brush and my fingers through her hair slowly. It was the same color as mine. We would have beautiful golden-haired children.

"Sookie?"

"Hmm?"

"Do we live somewhere else than in this house?"

She had her eyes closed and opened them slowly. "Yes, we spend most of our time in Shreveport. We have a house and a condo there, though we barely ever use the condo."

I nodded. I understood. She looked at my reflection in the mirror and smiled. "I'm not very good company, am I? I fell asleep on you."

"Don't worry, dear one. I know you're tired. I'll tuck you back in," I said, putting the brush back where I'd seen it. Before moving her back to the bedroom, I lifted her hair off her neck and kissed her softly. Unable to move away, I kissed her soft skin again, and again.

Sookie's small hand reached behind her to my face, caressing me as I continued kissing my way up to her earlobe, back to the nape of her neck. I was in love, goddess save me, I was so in love. I understood, I understood!

She turned to face me. I needed this, I needed her. She pulled me down to crush my lips into hers, opening her mouth so I could taste her, pushing her body against mine. I pressed her close and something stung my thigh. She pulled away quickly.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, taking off her pants quickly. I watched as she removed a small piece of jewelry from her underwear. "I'm so sorry. It's a fairy amulet my cousin gave me. I forgot I had it on," she explained, and set the object on the counter next to the sink. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," I answered and pulled her to me again, wanting her lips. She let me kiss her slowly this time. She didn't care about my fangs; she knew how to kiss me without hurting herself. She let me pick her up and bring her back to the bed. I could make love to her without having sex. I would show her I still deserved her.

I settled her on the bed and settled myself above her, covering us with the blankets and threading my arms behind her back. Everything we did was because she let me. She let me kiss her face, her throat, her shoulders. Her skin responded to my touch, as she did. She reached for my sweater and pulled it over my head. I took hers off too and pressed her warm skin into me.

"I love you, Sookie," I whispered in her ear, wanting to be inside her and cure this need I had for her. But I wouldn't, not unless she told me it was alright.

Her lips were pink and a bit swollen, and her whole body was flushed red. I kissed her again, enjoying the extra warmth from her body, the feel of her hands moving over my back, the scent of her arousal that was starting to fill the room. Sookie ducked her head into my chest, kissing me until she reached my right nipple. She took it in her mouth and sucked. The feeling was tied to my own arousal. I made a hissing noise followed by a deep growl that began inside my chest.

She stopped touching me and reached behind herself, taking off her underwear, freeing her breasts. I understood. She wanted me to put my mouth on her too. Her nipples were a soft pink and had hardened. "Please, Eric," she whispered. I stared at her full breasts, beautiful and soft. How could I forget these? I did my best to become reacquainted with them, kissing each tenderly, lapping at the nipples gently. I was making love to my wife's body, smelling her, tasting her, hearing every soft moan and whimper that issued from her mouth.

I moved down her abdomen, trailing kisses on the honey skin of her waist, licking a line right above the band of her panties. I was completely under the covers now, but she threw them aside, to look at what I was doing. I ran my finger between the fabric and where the heady scent of her arousal was located. When I pulled the garment ripped, and she laughed.

"There goes another one," she said. She looked happy, still flushed with desire, and ready to let me continue my exploration. I kissed the soft curls, moving down to part her with my tongue. This is where her sweet taste was concentrated. I pushed her legs back and settled to tasting and pleasuring her. I loved watching her while I did this, and I loved it that she was watching me too. I slid two fingers inside her tight sheath, and it immediately tightened even more. My cock began throbbing with need, but this was not about me. This was about Sookie, who had lost control of her voice and was moaning with each thrust of my fingers.

With her fingers tangled in my hair, and my fingers pleasuring her, I felt her orgasm build up and her blood calling to me. I was so hungry, so hungry.

"Bite, Eric," she shouted, contorted into herself. I knew exactly where I wanted to bite, the sweet spot of her inner thigh. I sank my fangs and felt her blood rush into my mouth, her life inside me giving me life. Sookie shook under me, letting out a primal scream that only stopped when she ran out of air. I was so turned on that I ached to have her. But I couldn't, not yet. I closed her wounds and returned to her, to kiss her panting lips and give her a chance to pick the next action.

"Mmmm, Eric?" she moaned my name.

"Yes, my love?" I moved to kiss her jaw, to let her speak.

"It's my turn," she said. I thought I would die of joy. She pushed me into the bed and undid my pants expertly, taking every remaining item of clothing off me. She ran her breasts from my thighs up to my cock, and it took everything out of me not to take her. With her ass up in the air she worked on me, imitating the things I'd done to her. She kissed me everywhere, then licked her way up my shaft to the head, kissing and licking it before putting it in her mouth and pumping my cock hungrily.

I knew I wouldn't last long, and I needed my seed inside her. "Sookie, please, I need to be inside you, please," I begged, my voice coming out thick inside a growl. She stopped and I sat up immediately, laying her on the bed, watching her sweet face as she let me enter her, her lips forming a perfect O. I buried myself inside her and didn't move, wanting to prolong the feeling. She wrapped her legs around me, letting me in a little deeper, at the same time that she pulled me closer. She kissed me softly, and I began moving again, listening to the wet sounds of our bodies together, listening to her breathing and her heart hammering wildly inside her chest.

She loved me. I could feel it strongly. I hoped she could feel how much I loved her, how obvious it was that I knew where I belonged, and it was here beside her. Our lovemaking was testament to the fact that we were love bonded. I understood. I'd chosen her before, and I chose her now, and I'd keep making the same choice forever.

Sookie's hands caressed my back slowly making circuits over my skin. She never stopped looking at me, and I got lost in her gaze as I made love to her. "Do you feel it, Sookie? Do you feel how much I love you?"

"Yes! I love you too, so much," she said and a tear escaped the corner of her eye. I kissed her over and over, building slowly to my own release. As it approached I moved faster within her, encouraged by Sookie's cries of pleasure. She climaxed and tightened around me, and I let go my own cries as I spilled my seed inside her, praying for a child with this woman. My woman.

**TBC**


	32. The Princess and the Pea

**A/N: **I must say I was overwhelmed by your responses to the last chapter. I guess my muse served me well after all… Y'all know she's dating Claude, right? Mythological/fantastical exotic dancing creatures have a tendency to flock together.

Let's see what Sookie has to say about… everything.

* * *

**Chapter 32 – The Princess and the Pea**

Eric was humming his usual tuneless tune, and if I could have I would have joined him. I had part of him back. Even if he never recovered his memories, his feelings inside me were exactly the same they'd ever been. I was happy. It was a little light in the dark, a little hope. I turned my head, unable to turn my whole body, pinned as it was by the very large love of my life.

In the dim light coming through the windows I could only see his glowing skin, but it was enough to read his expression. I knew well the feeling inside me was his devotion. We'd shared it countless times. His face echoed the emotion. The way we'd made love… he understood. Our bond was intact even if his memories weren't.

"Do you remember how to speak in Old Norse?" I asked, wondering exactly how much he had retained.

"I don't know. I know what Svanmeyja means, my darling swan maiden," he said, running a finger over my cheek.

"And you know things about being a vampire," I prompted.

He nodded, his finger tracing the line of my jaw. "I know we blood bonded; I know I have to sleep during the day or burn in the sun; I know I made Pam a vampire; and I know that yours must be the sweetest blood I've ever tasted."

If he knew all that, then why did he think I could be the mother of his children? It must have been a delusion caused by his confusion during the first night. He certainly hadn't brought it up tonight. If he didn't bring it up again then neither would I.

I enjoyed the soft feel of his finger exploring me. I felt a tiny bit of guilt about making love to him while he wasn't completely himself, but it had settled his emotions, and it had certainly made me feel better. I couldn't feel any confusion from him, or any fear. He felt peaceful, and loving towards me. He brought himself up on one elbow, circling one of my nipples with that wandering finger. I remained on my back, looking at him, happy. My fear that he wouldn't love me the same had been unfounded. Now we just had to resolve the other hiccup, and all would be right as rain.

"Honey? Do you want to check and see if it's snowing yet?" I asked, knowing my Viking love would enjoy the snow immensely.

Sure enough, when he met my gaze his was full of childlike wonder. "Snow?" he asked and I nodded. He stood up and peeked outside my window. "Everything is covered!" He didn't waste any time, got dressed quick as a vampire and called out to me from the kitchen to join him before I could even form the thought to get up. I got up slowly, still dazed from… well, pretty much everything. I dressed in not-quite-dirty-yet sweatshirt and sweatpants that had been hanging from a hook inside the closet, and bundled up, wondering what in the world he could possibly be doing outside. There couldn't be enough snow to keep him entertained for long.

I went out through the back porch, and saw him swinging from a tall branch of the tree closest to the house. He seemed to be catching snowflakes in his mouth. "What are you doing?" I called out, and couldn't keep from smiling. He flew around and around the tree.

"Sookie, I can fly!" he called. I giggled. It was like watching a little kid learning how to ride a bike.

"Yes, I know!" I yelled, because I'd lost sight of him behind the trees. He zoomed up and down in a blur, looking more like a hummingbird than a large man who could fly. Suddenly he landed right in front of me in a big whoosh of air and snow. He was wearing nothing but his jeans and sweater. No socks, no shoes, no coat.

Eric put his cold hands on my cheeks, smiling widely. "Fly with me?"

I bit my lip. I'd wanted to fly with him for so long, but I'd only done it twice: the night when the maenad's snake attacked me – when I was nearly unconscious – and when we danced together during our wedding. This would be an amazing, if cold, treat. Eric took my smile as his answer, scooped me up and off we went. Everything was covered in a fine dusting of white and looked ridiculously beautiful. We hovered above my house, watching the security lights shine on the perimeter, the snow doubling their brightness. I hugged Eric tighter.

The big fluffy flakes flew past us, as if God was shaking a box of corn flakes on the Earth. I turned to look at Eric, to see what held his interest, and he was looking back at me. He had snowflakes on his lashes, all over his windblown hair, on his shoulders. He'd never looked more in his element. Maybe we should go somewhere with lots more snow, let him run around the bunny slopes. Actually, maybe he already knew how to ski.

"My love," he said, bringing me closer and touching my cold nose with his, rubbing it lightly. "Do you like to fly with me?" I nodded furiously in response. "Do we do it often?" I shook my head. "We'll have to remedy that, but for now I need to get you inside. You're shivering."

I'd only noticed my shivering because he brought it up. "No! Wait! Fly me around one more time?" I asked him. He smiled and made a slow circuit around the house, before touching down on the back porch. He didn't let go of me, carrying me all the way inside the house. He didn't even let go of me when he turned so I could lock the door. He was moving with purpose, setting me back on my feet in the middle of the bedroom.

Eric began to take my clothes off, layer by layer, dropping everything right there on the floor. "No!" I shouted when he was about to drop my brand new cranberry wool coat on the floor along with my gloves, scarf and hat. "You got me that for Christmas. It's special," I explained. He took it to the slipper chair and set it down draped over the back.

"Sookie," he said my name inside a breath as he walked back to me. "I want to make love again." He stood in front of me without touching me, but still so close all I had to do was take a deep breath to touch him with my breasts. "Say yes, Sookie."

I took that deep breath, feeling my nipples harden as his coolness seeped into my skin through my clothes. I was trying to sift through both our feelings, when I decided to give up. After all, I lusted after Eric and loved him all at the same time. Wouldn't he feel the same way about me? At that moment I didn't care which feeling was strongest within him. "Yes," I answered, and immediately set to helping him with his clothes.

Even if Eric couldn't remember, he still made love to me as if he did. Everything was familiar to me, even if it was new to him. He wanted me to be on top this time, because he wanted to look at me, rebuilding the map of my body in his mind. I taught him how to caress me, with only his fingertips, and I showed him how much he liked it when I raked my fingernails over his chest. I bent backwards, putting my feet on the bed and holding myself up with my arms behind me. He sat up and watched as our bodies met over and over. This too was new to him, and he was mesmerized. He kept running his eyes up and down my body, and I couldn't help but do the same to him.

"Come here, my wife," Eric said in a soft voice, pulling me to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck while he cupped my bottom to help me move. I couldn't stop looking at his beautiful face, with his fangs completely extended and his pupils completely dilated. "What do you see, Sookie?"

Wow! I wasn't expecting that question. I blinked, momentarily forgetting the physical pleasure he was giving me. I tried to recover and answer him honestly. "I see my husband, the man who loves me. You're so beautiful, Eric," I said in a whisper, feeling shy suddenly.

"But I am vampire," he countered, snarling a little as he sometimes did. It wasn't something he seemed able to control.

Eric and I had spoken about our differences before, he just didn't remember. I willed him to remember by simply planting soft kisses all over his face. It's not that I didn't care that he was a vampire. I knew well what I'd given up to be with him. But I also knew what I'd gained by being with him, and that was not something I was going to explain while in the throes of ecstasy.

"I love you, Eric," I whispered in his ear, and then kissed my way down his neck. "Let that be enough," I said and grazed my teeth over the sensitive part where his neck met his shoulders.

He bucked under me at the sensation my teeth caused. I nipped him again and he lost it, moving me on him faster and faster; vampire fast. At the very second I was about to leave Earth he bit my neck, and in my frenzy I bit him too, drawing the tiniest drop of blood but it was enough. As my body rode out the waves of euphoria, my mind was enveloped in his thoughts. There were children playing in the snow with him. Blond, blue eyed children, tackling him to the ground, and he imagined me looking on, my belly swollen with another child.

I didn't say anything aloud, but I was beyond surprised. More than that, I was heartbroken. Having children was not something I'd imagined or wished for myself, so marrying Eric hadn't taken away that particular dream. But right now he was wishing for children, and I didn't have the heart to dash his dreams. Had he wished for this when he was okay? Somehow I doubted it. This wish had to be part of the curse. I decided not to tell him I'd read his thoughts as he tucked me into him and laid us down.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I woke up late. The light coming in from the window was bright, and I wondered if it was really sunny, or just the effect of the snow on the ground. I looked outside the window on my way to the bathroom, and it was actually sunny. The snow was melting. This was a good thing, because I really needed to go to the grocery store. I was not looking forward to going to Brookshire's in the Corvette, but whatever. Any port in a storm… or, in this case, any car that could take me the fifteen miles there and back.

I took a shower, got dressed, making sure to reattach Gran's brooch to my underwear, ate the last frozen waffle and headed to Brookshire's, completely forgetting my coupons. I only remembered when I was already there. It was Sunday, and it was only one in the afternoon. In a town like Bon Temps, most people would still be having lunch at home after their church service, so the store was still relatively empty. I still parked far, far away from other cars, wishing I could have my Prius if only so I could park close and not have to spend the extra time walking outside in the cold.

I ran up and down the aisles, encountering the same people a couple of times as they followed their own paths within the store. One woman in particular struck me as odd. She was pretty, with curly brown hair and big eyes. But she definitely did not belong in Bon Temps, dressed in a long flowing skirt under her thick quilted parka. We were more of a jeans and plaid shirts people. I had heavily shielded myself so I could follow my own mental grocery list and not everybody else's. I let my shields down to read her as I approached her. She was reading the label on a bottle of barbecue sauce, and I pretended to look at a box of cake mix. There was one thought above all others, flashing like a neon sign.

Now, people don't normally think words, unless they're reading or writing. Most of us think images, the odd word here and there, and emotions. This woman was thinking two words in particular along with several indecipherable images. They were "Hallow" and "proud." Before I had a chance to react she touched my shoulder, and before she had a chance to do anything she was instantly shocked still and crumpled to the floor.

It happened so fast I didn't know what had happened. All I knew was that I had started to turn towards her, she had barely grazed my shoulder with her fingertips, and something from the middle of my body uncoiled and shot out, like a lightning bolt. She was staring up at the ceiling, and I bent to her to check her pulse, but as I touched her I shocked her again. _Jesus Christ Shepherd of Judea!_ _I've done killed her!_

I ran to the front of the store and told the first clerk I saw that there was a woman lying in the middle of the aisle, unconscious. There hadn't been anybody to witness what had happened, so I simply paid for my things and left. I was shaking while I put the car into gear, and I drove slower than my usual, taking deep breaths to calm down.

They had found me. Hallow and her people knew who I was and had found me. They hadn't come to the house because it was invisible to them, but I'd gone outside of it… without my amulet! The night before, I hadn't worn it when I played in the snow with Eric.

"Sookie, you're an idiot," I told myself soberly, willing myself to tell myself I was wrong… which I wasn't. I _was_ an idiot. I drove a few miles past my house and turned around at Merlotte's, making sure nobody was following me. I got home and inside the house as quickly as I could. I felt like someone was watching me, and as soon as I got in my kitchen I saw why.

Claudine was there.

Claudine was there and she was mad.

"Where have you been?" she asked, crossing her arms over her blood red long sweater.

"I just got back from Brookshire's," I said, wondering why she was there, but having a pretty good idea.

"So the amulet went off and brought me here, and you're not here, and you won't call me to tell me what happened. Do you really not know why I'm upset?" she asked.

I took a deep breath. I hadn't even thought to call her. How was I supposed to know? Everything happened so fast, and I'd been scared and mad at myself. Her expression softened to one of concern.

"Please tell me you know you're not alone in this world," she pleaded and moved closer, grabbed a bag of groceries and started putting things away.

I was thinking about her statement. Did I know I wasn't alone? No. During the daytime it was pretty much a given that I was alone. Other than my brother, I had nobody else. "I'm sorry?" I said as a question.

"It's okay, Sookie. At least the amulet did what it was supposed to do, I guess. What happened?" she asked, eyeing the True Blood curiously.

"Some woman at the grocery store touched me and I shocked her. I was so scared that I just…" my mind drifted. Had I killed her?

"You didn't kill her. She was only shocked. She must have been a witch and about to put a spell on you of some kind. And, by the way, that wasn't Hallow. Hallow's hair is longer and she's taller," Claudine said, comparing my recollections to that of her sister Claudette.

"I took off the amulet last night," I cringed because I knew she could see in my mind why I'd taken it off. "Then I went outside for a little bit to play in the snow."

Claudine turned to me, looking a lot like a mother hen. "You, young lady, are going to tell Eric about the amulet the minute he wakes, and keep it on your person at all times. If you have to wear socks to bed, then so be it. Put it on a sock. Next time something bad happens to you, no matter how stupid you think it is, you will call me. I'm pretty sure we'll have permission to engage the witches, but we don't have it yet. Until then you're not to leave this house, and Eric is not to leave this house. Understood?"

I nodded, though I felt like rolling my eyes. She would know I was feeling peeved at her tone. No need to show it.

"I'm only making sure you're safe. You and Jason are all that Fintan has left. He can't see your cousin anymore because of what she is and the company she keeps. Besides, like it or not I'm your older cousin, so you have to mind what I say," Claudine took a deep breath, reading my mind. "Very well," she said, "listening" to my unspoken request. She opened her mind and showed me Fintan up close, as she knew him. He looked like a slightly older version of my dad, or what I remembered of my dad. My grandfather had given Jason and me his eyes and nose. "That's nothing, you should see your great uncle Dermot," Claudine said, showing me… Jason? No, that was my great uncle who bore a striking resemblance to Jason, if Jason had been a few years older.

Talk of great uncles was not something that brought pleasant memories, and I tried to cut them off but was unable to do it quickly enough. That hadn't been something I'd shown Claudine before. I turned around quickly and continued putting groceries away.

"What was that, Sookie?" she asked. I could hear pity in her voice.

I didn't need her pity. "That was _nothing_ compared to what happened to my cousin Hadley. So you better forget it. It's all in the past anyway and I don't want to talk about it."

Claudine didn't say anything, and I wasn't looking at her. I figured the subject was dropped. I was wrong. She turned me around and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, and felt incredibly peaceful, like nothing bad had ever happened in my life. Wow!

I was speechless when she pulled away. Actually, not speechless, but what came out of my mouth was the stupidest thing I'd been thinking. "You smell like chocolate."

Claudine giggled. "I guess that's the vampire blood in you. I probably smell scrumptious, huh?"

"Not exactly. I don't want to eat you, but now I wish I'd bought chocolate," I said, looking inside the next grocery bag, willing a Milky Way bar to appear inside it. Nothing happened, of course. What use was it being part fairy if I couldn't make chocolate appear at will? Eric could fly and do all sorts of super vampire stuff, Claudine could do all kinds of cool stuff too, like appear out of thin air in the middle of my kitchen, and I could… read minds. Big whoop-de-do. It was highly unfair.

I looked up to find Claudine giggling at my mental chatter. She kept me company for a couple of hours, though she'd taken it upon herself to teach me how to reinforce my mental shields.

"I need to go back to Fairy tonight, and see if a decision has been made about the witches. Claude is itching for a fight. We haven't had a good one in about… sixty years," she said doing math in her head.

I was surprised. "How old are you?"

"Older than you, younger than your Viking," she winked.

Talk of Eric brought something else to mind. Claudine's talk about us being mated, and his wish for children, had me thinking around in circles. I was trying to form a theory, but it wasn't coming to me. Claudine waited patiently while I explained what I'd found out the night before.

"Could he be wishing for children by virtue of us being 'mated'?" I asked.

"I don't know, Sookie. It could just be something he's always wanted and now that he lost his memories, he thinks that the wish is totally normal… which, of course, it would be, if you were both alive. I don't think it has anything to do with the fact that you are mated, or you'd be feeling the same way. Are you feeling the same way?"

"Nope. Never crossed my mind. Well, not never, but I don't want to pass my quirk to a child. I don't think it would be fair. It's like a genetic disease," I said with disdain. I would never want a child, any child – mine or otherwise – to go through what I'd gone through growing up.

Well, there went that theory. I guessed I'd have to ask Eric when he regained his memories. I didn't want to be the one to break his heart, not now that he was already broken in a different way.

Claudine left and I quickly went to take a shower. I only had half an hour before Eric woke up, and it would be bad enough that he would smell fairy inside the house again, he didn't need to smell it on me too. I was clean and dressed by the time Eric came out of his cubby hole. He found me drying my hair with the blow dryer.

"Hi, honey," I said as he hugged my waist from behind and kissed my cheek. I turned off the dryer so I could hear him.

"I had a dream you were in trouble. I'm so happy it was just a dream," he said, holding me tighter and inhaling at my neck.

I turned around to look at him. I studied his eyes. He was frowning, and I didn't want the upset him anymore, but I knew I would have to. Eric wasn't safe unless I told him everything I knew.

We sat at the kitchen table for a while, and I told him everything I knew about my fae ancestry, and what had happened today at the grocery store, and everything Claudine had said. I watched as his face expressed all the emotions he was feeling, but he remained silent while I spoke. I finished my account and he remained silent for a very long time, moving his gaze from me to his hands on the table.

"Please say something," I asked of him.

He looked up, frowning. I couldn't read his feelings. It was as if he was trying to contain them. "You should have told me about the amulet," he said, sounding very much like himself.

"You're right," I conceded, feeling a lot like a little kid for the second time that day.

"I don't want you to get hurt. I love you. I don't remember anything, but I understand everything. I know I brought this on myself and on you. I know what it's done to you. I feel very guilty about this situation, and if your family is helping us then you need to do as they say. I will be indebted to them for keeping you safe, no matter the outcome." He leaned towards me, looking into my eyes because he wanted me to understand too.

I nodded and was startled by a knock on the back door. I closed my eyes as I scanned the mind behind the door. Vampire.

"It's Pam," Eric said, getting up.

"Great, another one to whom I owe an explanation," I said, sounding a lot like Eric too.

Eric and Pam sat at the table sipping True Bloods while I talked and cooked my dinner. Eric had already heard everything, so sometimes he filled Pam in if I skipped some little nugget of information. I sat with them when my pork chops, mashed potatoes and fresh peas were ready. I was hungry! Belatedly I remembered that all I'd had to eat that day was a waffle.

"Sookie, there's something I don't understand. This Claudine Crane person seems to be able to ask for help from the powers that be in Fairy. She must be higher up than we assume," Pam said, the wheels in her head turning.

I shrugged. How was I supposed to know? All I knew is that we shared a close male relative. I told Pam.

"What's his name?" she asked.

"Niall," I said, though I wasn't sure. I'd only heard his name once. I knew Fintan better.

If Pam could have, I'd have said she blanched. "Niall Brigant?" she asked.

"Yes! That's it. That's supposed to be my family name," I said excited. I hadn't been sure of the name because Claudine had given me so much information to remember.

"Sookie…" Pam said my name reverently, and Eric and I both looked at her curiously. She had just done something very un-Pam-like.

She waved us off with her hand. "You don't understand. Niall Brigant is a prince in Fairy. You're a princess Sookie. You have royal blood. That is why they're protecting you."

I cast a disbelieving look and arched an eyebrow at Pam. Eric looked at her wide eyed before he looked at me the same way. "A fairy princess?"

"I dunno! Claudine didn't say," I said rather shrilly, throwing my hands up in the air. "Now, do you mind if I finish my food before you give me any more new information?"

The vampires looked on silently as I stuffed my face. I had been ready to enjoy my food, but now I was eating out of necessity, and not really tasting anything. I was thinking what was next. My life was a bizarre mix of legends and fantastical creatures, and I was one of them. Add princess to my list of titles… Oh, please! Don't I wish? Princess Sookie Brigant Stackhouse Northman, ruler of all she surveys, which at that moment was my kitchen. My husband was the sheriff of the largest vampire community in Louisiana, outside of New Orleans. And now he was being chased by witches. I guessed we would have to go on our own witch hunt. Didn't they used to be burned at the stake?

**TBC**

**A/N: **I know y'all are disappointed Sookie didn't go to the Piggly Wiggly, but Brookshire's is cheaper. :-)


	33. Fire Burn

**A/N: **Thank you, all of you, who are alerting and favoriting AAD, and a BIG HUGE THANKS to those who review. You always give me great ideas.

Let's kick some witchy butt!

* * *

**Chapter 33 – Fire Burn**

I was beyond bored. We were all looking at each other trying to absorb everything, on the brink of something big, and unable to act. We had to wait until my family got the green light to go do something about Hallow and her… coven? Home girls? Bunch of demented followers? Okay, whatever, in the meantime we were stuck.

"Do you have cards? We can play strip poker," Pam suggested, wearing her usual stoic face.

I rolled my eyes. "No, Pam. I don't have any cards, and even if I did we wouldn't play strip poker. Besides, you need more than three people for poker."

"You're not fun," she said and actually pouted.

I sighed. "Movie?"

"Nah…"

Eric was watching us, a little confused. I think he was still stuck on what strip poker entailed. I had a tiny epiphany. "I'll be right back," I said and ran to the rooms upstairs. They were cold as Hades, but I found what I was looking for and returned to the kitchen quickly. Pam's face was priceless when I presented her the box.

"Monopoly?" Pam asked. Her face bore an expression that was a cross between disgust, curiosity, and a hint of "this might not be so bad."

I nodded and smiled shyly, holding out the box. I hadn't played Monopoly in ages, but it was fun… and didn't involve any stripping. Plus, I thought it would appeal to the vampires' innate sense of industry and business.

Eric took the box. He was going to be a good sport, for me. "Let me see, dear one. How do you play?" He opened the box and found the instructions, reading them at vampire speed. He handed them to Pam. "I'm Sheriff, I should be the bank," he announced and started doling out money. "And I'll be the car."

"The car is bad luck. I'll be the hat," Pam said, putting the hat on "GO." Eric eyed her, peeved.

"They're both bad luck. I'll be the battleship," I said, grabbing my piece. Actually, this game was old and had seen many rainy days with me and Jason. The battleship used to be his favorite, and the car used to be mine. Gran always chose the dog.

We started playing, but Eric and Pam had no strategy. I was buying up any and all properties that I happened to land on, until I ran out of money. Eric shot me a smirk, thinking he knew so much better than me. The smirk disappeared when he had to pay me fifty bucks because he landed on one of my railroads.

About two hours later the game got good, when every piece of property had been purchased, and I was holding on to a sizable chunk of them. "I'll trade you these two fuchsia ones for that green one," Pam said to me.

"Nope. This green one is worth at least two yellow," I said. It was my turn to smirk.

"But I only have one yellow. Eric has the other," she whined. I was getting on her nerves.

"Not my problem. You can have this green one for two yellow," I said, fanning myself with the card.

Exasperated, Pam turned to Eric. "What do you want for that yellow card?"

He put his finger on his chin, looking at her properties thoughtfully. "The blue one."

"Park Place? No way!"

"I have Boardwalk, I want Park Place. You will give it to me to acquire the yellow card." For a minute I thought he was trying to glamour Pam. But he was only exerting his power as maker over her.

"Oy! Eric, that's cheating! You can't make Pam do things. You have to play the game fair and square," I said, waving my hand in front of his face to make him quit it.

He puffed in frustration and crossed his arms over his chest.

"It's alright," Pam said. "I'll give you Park Place in exchange for the yellow card on one condition: free rent if I land on either of your blue ones for the next five rounds."

"One round."

"Three rounds."

"Two."

"Three?"

"Two."

"Fine. Two rounds," Pam said, and handed the blue card to Eric at the same time he gave her the yellow one.

Eric actually won Monopoly. I ended up running out of money paying him every time I landed on Boardwalk, where he had put a hotel. Those dice just didn't love me. Pam was also mortgaged to the limit trying to pay Eric. Apparently he knew what he was doing after all.

"I'm going to watch TV. Perhaps there is football on," she said, and left. She was the sorest loser. Eric and I looked at each other and shrugged. We were left alone putting all the pieces of the game back inside the box.

"Come here, dear one," Eric said when everything was put away. He was holding his arms open, inviting me to sit on his lap.

I jumped at the chance. He was feeling happy and peaceful, and gave me a huge smile as I hugged him tightly. He caressed my face lovingly as I rested my head on his shoulder, and then he kissed my forehead. I looked up and he landed another kiss on my lips, and incredibly tender one. I took a deep breath before we parted. He looked at me, studying my face with his glacial blue eyes. I wasn't sure what he was looking for.

"You're beautiful, Sookie," he said. Well, that explained that. I smiled. He'd never been one to withhold compliments.

"You're beautiful too, Eric," I said, never taking my eyes off his.

He kissed me again, but this time it was needier. His tongue invaded my mouth at the same time that his hand squirreled under my sweater, reaching my bra and tugging down. He caressed my breast as he moved his kiss to my neck, letting his fangs graze my skin but not biting.

"Sookie?" he whispered at my throat.

"Hmmm?"

"When was the last time you had my blood?" he asked.

"Last night I had a drop," I answered, breathless with his attentions.

"And before that?"

"About a week ago." He needed to stop talking. I promised myself I'd be quiet if he took me to the bedroom and satisfied this sudden need I had for him. As if reading my mind, he picked me up and carried me to our bedroom, setting my feet on the floor gingerly before moving away from me and sitting down on the bed.

"Let me see you, Sookie. Take off your clothes," he snarled a little. I did as he asked, dropping all the garments on the floor and not caring one little bit. It was the first time since his amnesia that he saw… full frontal – while I was standing – nudity. At least he liked what he saw, if the hand on his crotch was any indication. He was trying to ease the uncomfortable feeling of his gracious plenty trapped inside his jeans.

"Won't you take off your clothes too?" I asked, feeling exposed and cold. The cold feeling didn't last for long. Eric stood up and gave me a show. Goodness, me! I loved it when he did that. He beckoned with one finger, so I walked closer.

"You're truly beautiful, Sookie. I can't get enough of you," he said, reaching for me and pulling me against him. His body was cool but it produced a fever within me that warmed me up. I rubbed my face against the soft hair on his chest, but he stopped me suddenly. "Your amulet," he reminded me.

I groaned, but went to retrieve it. Like Claudine suggested, I put my socks back on and attached the brooch to the inside of one of them. Just as well… my feet had been cold. Eric was smiling when I returned. "You're still beautiful," he said, grabbing my waist.

"I feel stupid," I pouted, but put my hands on his belly, watching as his gracious plenty twitched. He wanted me to touch him.

"Sookie, you're not stupid. And now you're safe, which is all that matters," he said, and quickly proceeded to make me forget I was wearing socks.

Eric kissed and suckled on my breasts hungrily, his hair falling on my chest in a caress. I couldn't help the moan that escaped, and he couldn't stop himself from growling. His fingers began the path they were starting to remember, testing to see if I was ready for him. I was. I always was, and if I hadn't been, he would have made me ready.

He turned me around and made me kneel on the bed, stood behind me, and began kneading my bottom. I felt that familiar soft pressure at my entrance. I turned to look behind me, to see his face. His face looked wild. He was baring his fangs and his teeth, his muscles twitching with effort. I knew that look. He was holding back from hurting me. I pushed back, taking him inside me and feeling complete. We both felt it. Eric began moving slowly, grabbing my hips to keep me still. Each one of his long strokes was driving me wild with desire. I reached down to touch my little nub, enjoying how sensitive it had become after Eric's initial touch. I reached further, touching him as he entered me. He let out another deep growl and began moving a little faster.

Every thrust took me closer to that promised land of ecstasy. Eric pulled me up halfway, holding my body with an arm on my chest. He moaned softly and gave me his bloody wrist. As soon as I began to suck on the two small wounds, his frenzy took over. He pumped faster and I couldn't stop from touching myself with my free hand. The feeling was so exquisite that I didn't pay attention when he bent over me and bit where my neck met my shoulder. All I knew was that my perfect orgasm had carried me over into the sea of purple euphoria.

I was proud of myself for not making noise, but Eric didn't have any of those qualms. He yelled out what he usually said in Old Norse, holding me tight against him as he shook inside me. I reached behind me, to caress his hair. He was breathing hard against my neck, taking deep breaths and letting them out in big puffs, the faster to breathe in again. I spared a sliver of thought to the fact that he remembered what he usually said.

When we came back to ourselves I found that he was still hard and inside me, moving slowly and not very steady. I took a deep breath, taking in his scent, taking him inside me that way as well. He was rubbing my breasts with both hands, humming my song.

"Eric," I moaned his name. I couldn't help it.

"Sookie," he said my name in his deep husky voice, the one that told me he was still in the throes of passion.

We didn't say anything else. He laid me down settling above me, entered me again, and I was grateful. This time it wasn't about sex. It was about what we needed; we had it in each other. Our desires were met, fulfilled, brought to fruition.

Eric kissed my neck. "I love you," he whispered against my skin, giving me sweet shivers.

"I love you too, Eric. I love you so much," I said, feeling that my love was a living being inside me.

"You make me so happy when you say those words," he smiled, still moving inside me, finding a rhythm to satisfy our bodies. We reached our happy endings at the same time, sighing with pleasure. The second time hadn't been Earth-shattering, but it had been right. It had felt right.

We washed each other in the shower, giggling the whole time at Eric's insistence that the loofah was a foofah. We rejoined poor Pam, who we had left to her own devices. She hadn't taken offense. She was used to us needing "a break," as she called it. She didn't call it anything else knowing it would have upset me. I admit it: I was still a prude, as evidenced by my shy smile which I tried to hide in Eric's chest as we walked into the living room. Pam was showing me tip.

"You guys enjoyed your break?" she asked.

Eric arched an eyebrow. He'd seen my reaction, but didn't understand her words. "We did," he answered. I was mortified and Pam let out a huge guffaw at my expense. "That's enough, Pam. You're making Sookie uncomfortable," he said, looking down at me, still buried against his chest.

"She does it on purpose," I mumbled.

We sat to watch TV with Pam, but it didn't take me long to fall asleep leaning against Eric. I woke up briefly as he carried me to the bedroom, but I didn't have enough in me to wake up fully.

When I woke up again it was because my doorbell was ringing. It was daylight. I closed my eyes to scan the brain of the person at the door. Shifter. It didn't feel like Sam's brain, though, or Alcide's.

I got up slowly. I was still wearing the sweatshirt and pants I'd worn the night before, so I slipped into my sneakers and went to answer the door. Before I did, I grabbed Jason's shotgun.

"Who is it?" I asked loudly without opening the door. I really needed to install a peephole.

"My name is Hallow. You must come outside," a woman said.

My heart sank before starting to pound viciously within my chest. "I don't think so," I said, loud enough for her to hear.

"You either come out willingly, or you come out when we start burning your house. What will it be?" she asked. She must have been very close to the doorjamb.

My fear spiked at her words. There were two very dead vampires sleeping the day away inside the house, plus, of course, I couldn't survive a fire either. Hallow had found my house after all, and it probably had nothing to do with magic. I mean, everyone in Bon Temps knew where crazy Sookie lived.

_Well_, I thought, _I do have a shotgun. I'm pretty sure Were witches are not immune to bullets_. I held the shotgun the way I'd been taught and opened the door, aiming it at the woman who was now standing at the bottom of the porch stairs. She was beautiful, tall and thin with long brown hair, and she was wearing winter white from the hat on her head to the boots under her skirt. She didn't look scared, not even preoccupied, but the fact that I had a shotgun. That could not be good.

"Don't bother, Blondie. I am as impenetrable as your house. I only found you thanks to your neighbor. Who knew that you had a stalker? He keeps all kinds of information on you. Anyway, come on out so we can talk more," she said. Was she insane? Probably.

I made sure my aim was true. "You will leave or I will shoot," I said. I didn't like the thought of taking a life, but right at that moment I was trying to protect the lives of others.

"So shoot," she said in a mocking tone, shrugging her shoulders.

At least I could console myself with the fact that she asked for it. I pulled the trigger and watched as the bullet ricocheted off her. It reminded me of the alien ships in that movie, _Independence Day_. She must have cast a spell on herself to keep her from harm. Unfortunately it meant that I either went with her without a fuss, or watched as she set my house on fire, with two beloved people still inside it.

I put the gun down and watched as the witch's face opened into a satisfied grin. _Bitch!_ She turned to a minivan in my driveway, apparently showing her triumphant smile to whoever was inside it.

I tried to read her mind as best I could as I walked outside, closing the door behind me. Everything inside her brain was hazy, except one thing: Eric. She was imagining Eric as her lover, Eric giving _her _his blood as they had sex. I was sick with jealousy, but I couldn't let on. She couldn't know I could read minds or I'd be in even deeper trouble. As it was, it didn't seem she knew that Eric was inside my house. I wanted to keep it that way.

"It seems you have some sort of protection spell yourself, Blondie," Hallow remarked.

"The name is Sookie," I said through gritted teeth. She didn't know about Gran's brooch still attached to the inside of my sock.

"I know that. Your neighbor has your name on everything. It seems he imagines himself your next lover. So why don't you tell me where Eric is so you can move on?" she asked, not attempting to touch me or otherwise cast a spell on me. Not that I could see, anyway.

I remained impassive. Thankfully I'd had years of training myself not to react to others' thoughts, so I was able to keep my cool around Hallow. She was a Were, though. I was sure she could hear my heart beating like a rabbit's in my chest.

"Okay. Have it your way," she said and turned back to the minivan. Out of it emerged two men and a woman. One of the men was twirling a pair of handcuffs on his fingers.

I moved backwards, beginning to panic. The last time somebody took me, I'd been almost raped. I couldn't hear any lascivious thoughts coming from either of the men, but that didn't mean much. One of them was a Were also, and his brain was just as hazy as Hallow's.

"We won't hurt you," Hallow said in what she meant as a soothing voice.

"Then why are you going to handcuff me? What do you want?" I asked, buying time. Could Claudine sense my distress? I wasn't in danger yet, so maybe she couldn't.

"I'm hoping Eric holds you in enough high regard to come get you, or give himself to me in exchange for your freedom. We shall see," she said, smiling beatifically. _Nutcase_.

The Were man moved fast and had my hands handcuffed behind my back before I had a chance to blink. He pushed me forward and I stumbled. Unable to put my hands out to break my fall, I fell face first on the gravel. It hurt like a motherfucker, and I knew I was bleeding.

"Mark, don't break her," Hallow said, but it didn't sound like she gave a damn.

The same idiot who had pushed me helped me get up. I was bleeding from my nose, and I could feel a sharp pain right above my right eye. After a few seconds I felt blood running down my face from my eyebrow. The Were made me walk to the minivan and sat me down, even putting the seatbelt around me. With my arms pinned behind me, the seatbelt was as good as a rope. Somebody covered my head with a piece of cloth, and then they started driving away. I was a little relieved that they hadn't gone inside the house in search for Eric, and then I realized that maybe they couldn't. I also had the impression that Hallow didn't quite understand my connection to him. She probably couldn't fathom Eric spending his day at my house. Just as well.

The cloth over my head didn't let me see where we were going, but I knew the exact address nevertheless, reading it easily off the mind of the driver. It was an abandoned warehouse in Shreveport, about fifteen miles away from Fangtasia, actually. When we arrived I could tell there were people waiting inside the building. Even though I was scared, I was too mad to act like the whimpering victim as the Were (Mark was his name, I had learned) dragged me inside the building.

Mark made me sit on a hard chair as someone else was tying a rope around me. The second person was human, and didn't seem to have a lot of confidence that kidnapping me was the right thing to do, or that it would bring about the desired effect.

"Would you look at that?" Hallow said, studying my face.

"I guess she likes vampire blood too," Mark said, standing with his arms crossed a few feet behind Hallow.

I could guess what they were seeing. The bleeding gash on my eyebrow wasn't hurting anymore, so it must have closed. One of the witches present caught on that I was more than just a vampire's girlfriend. Her mind had done a quick flip flop of fear, but she didn't say anything. She was only one of about ten witches/warlocks, who all thought this was the best idea Hallow'd had in ages. The term _delusional_ barely covered these people.

"Is Eric feeding you his blood?" Hallow asked me, not really waiting for my answer. "Then he'll find her that much faster," she concluded. She eyed me carefully, and I could "see" she was trying to decipher what had been done to the witch that had touched me the day before. Hallow touched me, and I felt that odd energy uncoil from within me and shock her. She wasn't as affected as the other witch, but still removed her hand with a pained expression.

"What was that?" Mark asked, looking at Hallow.

"She's protected. That Octavia must have put a charm on her," Hallow said, as if I wasn't there. I was glad to know that the witch couldn't tell fae magic apart from witch magic.

The hours passed slowly. They were waiting until night rose to blackmail the vampires. All the while I wondered where my family was, and studied the witches' and warlocks' comings and goings. I was left in the middle of the large warehouse, so I couldn't see what was happening behind me. In front of me I could see a couple of witches chanting incantations over a large mound of tiny stones. They gathered the stones and left. Since they were human, I'd been able to see the purpose of the stones. They were going to set them around the warehouse to protect it from other witches.

It was getting late. It was already twilight, and Eric's feelings filled me as he woke up. I had to keep calm or he would come looking for me. I hoped Pam would wake up soon as well, though I knew she slept longer than her much-older maker. Sure enough, after the initial love and lust he usually felt upon waking in a house full of my scent, Eric started feeling fear. Nothing ever made regular Eric feel fear unless I was in danger. I closed my eyes, trying to calm him down. But without answers he would not calm down. He called to me and I jerked in my chair with the sudden desire to move east, to Bon Temps.

When Eric's feelings slipped into battle mode, I knew for sure I wouldn't be able to stop him, no matter how calm I remained. But how could I remain calm? He was coming to try to rescue me, doing exactly what Hallow wanted him to do. I got mad at him. Didn't he know? All I wanted him to do was grab my cell phone and call Claudine, because obviously my family was late with their rescue of me. I wasn't sure if I could count on them, but I wanted to give them a chance before Eric or Pam gathered any vampires and tried to do it themselves. I was pretty sure that the fairies were stronger than the vampires against the witches, particularly since all these witches were regular vampire blood users and two of them were Weres.

A knock on a door made everyone jump and take notice. One of the unnamed witches went to answer it. I already knew it had to be either a fairy or a vampire, judging by the void of thoughts. I was getting a little excited, actually, until I realized that any of the two types of magical creatures entering this building meant that a battle would ensue henceforth (a Word of the Day from the day before).

Whoever it was, she was welcomed. I looked across the warehouse: it was Claudette. She was as tall as Claudine, with the same long black hair and similar features. I braced myself. I didn't need to be a mind reader to know what was about to happen. I was also relieved. Eric wouldn't be captured if Hallow was otherwise engaged.

Claudette said something to the other witch, too low for me to hear from where I was sitting. She stood aside and several other fairies came inside the warehouse. Among them were Claude and Claudine, as well as my grandfather Fintan. My heart swelled with pride. My family was here. Fintan moved his gaze immediately to where I was sitting and bound, and his face turned into a mask of rage, no doubt seeing the blood on my face.

Hallow seemed to sense that not all was well, and came to stand in front of me, facing the newcomers. She was joined by the rest of the witches, except the one who had opened the door. _That_ witch started backing away from the fairies as quickly as she could. The fact that Fintan had unsheathed his sword had a lot to do with her fear.

The fairies stood in a long line of seven. Only Fintan was mad enough to have pulled his weapon. I realized that the others were there for him, to help him. Even though Claudine had been sent to watch over me, it was Fintan who had the most to lose if I were harmed.

"Who spilled my granddaughter's blood?" Fintan bellowed from where he stood, sword at the ready.

The witches' fear was pounding on my head, along with a lot of confusion. They didn't know what to make of the seven people in front of them. All were ethereally beautiful, taller than average humans, with long hair in different colors. All were dressed for battle, in leather armor, one of them was holding a gleaming sword, another was holding onto a beautiful staff. And they were all mad.

None of the witches stepped forward to confess to hurting me. I was mad about that, so I thought about his face with all my might. The witches had already cottoned on that this would be a battle, and Mark in particular knew he was dead the minute seven pairs of eyes alighted on just him. I smiled. I couldn't help myself. Between my own ire, Eric's feelings of battle transferring to me from wherever he was, and my family standing there mad as hell, I was feeling less than Christian, and very much vengeful.

"You can have your granddaughter back. I just want the vampire," Hallow said to Fintan.

"This is not open for negotiation. You have spilled royal blood. You must pay for your infraction," said the tall man holding the staff. He looked a lot like an older Fintan. It took me a moment to realize he was talking about my blood.

Before anybody moved, the witches released a volley of fire balls at the fairies, and they were met with loud roars. The fairies moved fast as vampires, avoiding the onslaught of fire, swords in hands.

Claudine was beside me in a flash, undoing the rope around me and blowing out an exasperated gust of air when she realized I was in handcuffs. She picked me up and carried me as if I weighed nothing, to a corner of the warehouse. "Stay here. I have to find the key for those," she said, and left. I felt useless, though what good would I be? I couldn't even make a bar of chocolate appear, let alone stop a volley of fire and brimstone.

I could see the battle perfectly from my vantage point. I had to look away, however, when Fintan lopped off one of Mark's hands with a little too much gusto. The screams of the witches started to be too much, and their mental agony started to assault me. I tried putting up my shields, but it was impossible. I closed my eyes tightly, trying, trying, until I felt a hand on my cheek and my shields popped into place. I opened my eyes to find my grandfather looking at me intently. He hugged me close and held me tight, pulling me up and carrying me out of the warehouse.

Outside the night was cold, too cold for the clothes I was wearing. I looked around us, but from the way he carried me I couldn't tell where he was taking me. Fintan delivered me into another set of waiting arms, and the surge of love I felt told me it was Eric even before I could see him.

He held me tight against his chest. "Who made her bleed?"

"Don't worry, vampire. I already cut off the hands of the perpetrator," Fintan answered and I cringed against the memory. "See if you can do something about those handcuffs and take her home."

Eric turned around and moved away from Fintan and the warehouse. He got us inside the backseat of a minivan, before sitting me up on his lap so he could work on the handcuffs. Pam got inside the driver's side after shutting the door to the back. She must have held it open for us to get in.

"Sookie, you are so much trouble," Pam commented.

I went on the defensive immediately. "Hallow threatened to burn down the house if I didn't go with her. Seeing as you both were in it sleeping at the time, I thought that might be a bad idea, _Pamela!"_

"Don't pay attention. She's upset to have woken up in midair," Eric explained. I heard a pop from a broken cuff, and was relieved to be able to bring both my arms forward. Eric started working on the second cuff.

"Yes," she huffed. "I almost fell because I was so startled. And now you smell like fairy, but I'm too mad to care."

Eric popped the other handcuff and started examining me the minute it hit the floor. "Where did you bleed from?"

"It healed. See?" I answered, showing him my eyebrow. "Your blood healed me."

"Yes, I see," he said. He was stressed, not that I wasn't. He looked to the door at the same time that it opened, letting in a big gust of cold air.

"It's over," a male voice declared. I turned to see a beautiful man, the one that had been holding the staff. He had gray blue eyes like Fintan, like me. "Sookie, are you alright?" the man asked.

"Yes. The injury healed already," I said. I didn't go into specifics, and he didn't ask, only nodded.

"I am Niall, your great-grandfather. I hoped to have met under better circumstances, but nevertheless, I am relieved that you were not irreparably harmed."

"Thank you," I said, a little dazed. This was the prince, but he was also my family. I didn't know how to address him. I was sure "Great-Grand Pappy" wouldn't do.

"We shall speak. For now, go home. I know your mate is anxious to take care of you," he said, and shot Eric a smile.

Eric nodded at Niall, and Niall nodded very briefly before shutting the door. Pam put the minivan in gear and drove us out of there and back to Bon Temps.

**TBC**


	34. Nobody Needs a Stalker

**A/N: **As always I love your reviews. I'm tying loose ends, so there's going to be a lot of information coming up in the next couple of chapters, a little fun fluffy stuff, and some tender lemons here and there… as well as grand theft auto, breaking and entering, burglary… things that nobody should do, vampire or otherwise.

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**Chapter 34 – Nobody Needs a Stalker**

Pam drove that minivan like a bat out of hell. I didn't know who it belonged to. All I knew was that it was the same vehicle in which I'd been transported to Shreveport earlier that evening. I looked at the ignition, and there was a key, so someone had retrieved it from the owner… somehow.

Pam didn't speak, and neither did Eric. I don't think they even breathed. Eric was holding me tight on his lap, and he was still raging. He was also fearful, but since he didn't speak, I had no way of knowing what was on his mind. I was pretty sure the reason for the silence was the fact that they were holding their breath so as not to attack me with the fairy scent that had clung to me. No air to pass through vocal chords, no speech. Simple.

My theory was proven right when we arrived at my house and Eric took me to the bathroom at vampire speed and settled me in the tub, clothes and all. He was trying to be careful with me but still move fast, which gave me a headache from all the sudden stops and starts. He turned on the faucet to the temperature that I liked and waited until the tub was nearly full before he took off my soaked clothes. The whole time I examined his expression and his feelings. Nothing had changed from the car to now. I knew he was afraid he'd hurt me, and I knew he was mad about what happened.

Eric finally looked at me and smiled. Immediately my heart leapt for want of him. He should have been in the bathtub with me, but we wouldn't both fit. So I let him take care of me. He left the clothes soaking in the tub, by my feet, while he lathered up his hands with soap and began to erase the fairy scent. He was careful with my face, where I still had all the dried blood. He hadn't trusted himself enough to lick it off me. He took a tentative breath.

"Do I still smell like my family?" I asked, not really wanting to call them fairies. After all, they didn't call me human. They called me Sookie. Or did they call me Princess Sookie? Good question.

"Only a little bit. I can handle it. How are you?" he asked, leaning close to kiss the eyebrow that had gotten hurt, the one that was now not only healed but clean thanks to him.

"I'm okay. I'm happy my family took care of those witches. They won't come after you anymore," I answered meaning it with all my heart. How do you thank your family for such a huge favor? I doubted Hallmark made a card with the appropriate sentiment. _Thank you for saving me and my husband from evil witches. I hope someday to return the favor. Yours truly, Sookie._ I giggled.

"What's funny?" he asked smiling. I think my amusement was a feeling that transferred. I explained the Thank You card thing to him, but he didn't seem to understand it fully. When his memories came back he would laugh. For now he smiled indulgently.

"Do you think that other witch can reverse the curse?" he asked, suddenly looking truly worried.

I shrugged. "Octavia seemed confident. She said it was a simple enough spell. All she wanted was to wait for the new moon, so that Hallow's power would be at its weakest. I'll call her tonight and make sure she's all set for tomorrow night."

"I already called!" we heard Pam's voice from the kitchen, which shared a wall with the bathroom. "Everything is set!" Leave it to Pam to eavesdrop. Oh, well. She was never going to stop, so I was starting to get used to it.

"Oooo-kay… so I won't call," I said, smiling up at Eric who was washing my legs.

"I need my life back," he said, staring at one of my knees, but not really seeing it.

"I know, honey. Everything will be fine, I promise," I said, putting my wet hand on his and holding it tight.

"You have a lot of faith, Sookie," he said with a sad crooked smile. It broke my heart and I looked down. "I have a lot of faith too, but only in you," he said, bringing my face up with a finger under my chin. He planted a soft kiss on my lips before continuing to wash me.

Eric's hands had always been clever, and tonight they had an extra soft touch. I closed my eyes and let him care for me some more, when something he did made me take notice. He spent a little too much time soaping up my lower abdomen. I opened my eyes and found him staring, this time with purpose.

"Honey? Is something wrong?" I asked, starting to guess, but not really wanting to assume anything.

"Our children can't have a broken father," he said, mad.

If my heart wasn't broken before, it was good and broken now. He had this vision of a perfect life, and it just wouldn't come true. He was mad that our perfect life had been shattered when he lost his memories, when the reality was much different. I made a lightning quick decision, which takes longer to tell than it took to make. I could break his heart and have him share in my own heartbreak, or I could make it better, and at least one of us would be happy until tomorrow night, when everything returned to normal.

"Eric, you will be a wonderful father, no matter what," I said, and my voice wavered a little. It wasn't even a lie. If we could have had children, he _would_ have been a wonderful father. I knew he had it in him.

"You think so?"

"Absolutely. Look how well you're taking care of me. You've been a great maker to Pam, and your people love you and respect you. You're a great man. Even my great-grandfather seemed to hold you in high esteem." I threaded my fingers into his and kissed his hand. "I love you, Eric Northman," I said, looking into his eyes so he could see it as well as feel it.

His lips parted in a perfect smile. In fact, he was beaming with happiness. Later he would have to forgive me for not wanting to break his heart now.

He got me out of the bathtub, telling me to leave the wet clothes, and that he would take care of them. He wanted to prove to me that he could be sweet and loving, and that he could take care of menial tasks. I let him. It was nice to be pampered. He even helped me dry and dress.

"Why don't you shower too, while I eat?" I said to him. I really wanted to talk to Pam. I knew she'd heard the whole conversation we'd just had. Eric agreed and I joined Pam in the living room, where she was watching "What Not to Wear."

"They still show that on TV?" I asked, sitting beside her.

"Yeah… it's Tuesday. There's nothing else to watch," she said, waving a hand at the TV. She turned to me, eyeing me up and down, and then threw herself at me in a hug. She hadn't done that in a long time, not since my abduction. "I'm happy you're safe," she said, and returned to the way she'd been sitting.

"Thank you, Pam," I said, still dazed. Pam's displays of affection always left me befuddled. "I'm sorry Eric took you while you were still sleeping. That must have been an awful shock."

"Yes it was. And cold. And windy. My hair is a mess. But enough about me. What was that in there?" she asked, jerking her head in the general direction of the bathroom in my bedroom.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. Please go along with it. It's just one more night and then he'll be back to his old self. I can't," I took a deep breath, "I can't break his heart, not now."

Pam took my words seriously. "You're good to him, Sookie. No wonder he loves you," she smiled. "It might actually be fun to watch him gush all over you… more than usual." She waved her hand, as if the subject was closed and not worth talking about. "Tell me everything that happened today."

I made her wait a couple of minutes until Eric emerged, smelling fresh and clean and looking gorgeous. He made me sit on his lap, not that I was going to object. After the day I'd had, all I wanted was him.

I told them everything, omitting one fact: how Hallow had been able to find me. My own theory went like this: Hallow knew Eric had a human girlfriend named Sookie Stackhouse, and was actually able to see I was in Bon Temps. That had been my mistake. I'd forgotten to wear the brooch the night Eric and I went out to play in the snow. Once they knew I was in Bon Temps, and failing in their attempt to capture me at the grocery store, they went to the house of another vampire, probably to see if Eric was spending his days there. They failed to find Eric, but found information Bill was keeping on me. That information was what I wanted to get my hands on. I wanted to see for myself what he had on me, before Eric ripped him to shreds or burned his house down. It would be his right, but I had something else in mind.

The kitchen was stocked, so I made myself something quick for dinner. I wasn't in the mood to wait for anything too complicated, since I hadn't eaten all day. So I settled for boiling some pasta and tossing it with butter and parmesan cheese. Lots of pasta, with tons of butter and heaps of parmesan cheese.

Pam eyed my plate with one raised eyebrow. "There are no vegetables or protein in that meal," she commented.

"I know, but I'm too hungry," I said, between bites.

"Eric, you must take better care of your wife. She cannot skip meals, or eat meals that aren't nutritious, not if you're thinking of having babies," she said. I looked up and she was smiling widely.

I frowned, watching as Eric got up immediately. "Eric, what are you doing? Sweetie, you don't know how to cook," I said, turning in my chair and watching him open cupboards.

"It cannot be that difficult," he said, stubborn. I rolled my eyes and looked up at the ceiling, silently asking God for patience.

"Fine, Eric. Let Pam do it. She knows how to cook," I said, thanking God for that idea. Pam's eyes widened in fear, but then she composed herself and stood up, moving regally to the fridge and taking out a steak that I had left there. I had planned on eating it tonight, but my plans had changed. I guessed they were back on.

Eric sat, looking a little pouty. I leaned close and put my hand on his cheek. "You didn't know how to cook before. Pam likes to read magazines that teach her these things," I said to him, watching as his expression changed. He looked relieved. I had remembered that Pam was an avid reader of "Better Homes & Gardens," as well as "Dear Abby."

Pam outdid herself, even going so far as to cook some frozen veggies for me. She even got the steak right, leaving it exactly medium, the way I liked it. "There, I cooked," she said, pointing at the plate. I was already digging in. "But Eric cleans," she said, smiling wickedly.

I couldn't help it! I snickered, and only just managed to keep the food inside my mouth. Eric raised an eyebrow at Pam, but seemed to think it was a fair exchange for getting off cooking. "Agreed," he said, and started cleaning up right away.

As soon as I finished every morsel of food I began to feel groggy. I bid goodnight to Pam, making sure to extend the invitation to stay here during the day if she wanted to. Eric walked with me to our bedroom, helping me undress, getting my nightgown. He was being careful with me. I think it was a mixture of knowing I'd had a bad day, and wanting to care for the future mother of his children. He followed me to the bathroom and watched my bedtime routine. That was very "Eric" of him. He would have stayed while I used the toilet, if I'd let him. He was always fascinated by my human needs. I still had no idea why.

I slept like the dead for about four hours. I awoke to find that I was the object of Eric's affections. He was naked beside me, and had already disposed of my panties. His hand was rubbing my center, getting me ready. From the little thrills I was feeling, I was very nearly ready for him.

"I'm so sorry, Sookie. I was trying to be good, I swear. But I want you so badly," he whispered in my ear. He kissed my earlobe, sending sweet shivers all the way down to my toes.

"I'm yours," was all I could say.

Eric moved slowly under the covers, to position himself between my legs. With one hand he reached between us and guided his gracious plenty inside me, letting out a low moan. I sighed. I couldn't deny him this, not even if I was about to fall asleep under him. He kissed me over and over, soft loving kisses on my face and on my neck. He whispered things, things I couldn't understand in a language as old as him. I trembled as I came, too tired to do much more than sigh a little more. Eric's own pleasure was also subdued, choosing to curl into me as he trembled above me. He collapsed, but I took his weight. I was used to it by now. I felt safe, and cherished. His face was so close to mine that he puckered up to kiss my jaw, over and over.

He left my side about half an hour later, when it was time for him to get inside the cubby hole. As soon as I knew he was dead for the day, I grabbed my phone and called Jason. I knew he would be awake already and getting ready for work. Jason was many things, but for sure he was a hard worker and barely ever missed a day from work. He went early and stayed late.

"Sookie? Are you okay?" was the first thing he said when he answered the phone.

"I'm okay. I need your help for a few hours. I would never ask this of you, but it's important. Can you come?" I asked. He would have to take time off from work.

He took a deep breath. "Of course. Let me make some phone calls and I'll come over."

We hung up after I thanked him, and went to take a quick shower and get dressed. Breakfast was almost ready when Jason let himself in the house.

I explained the witches, leaving out Eric's amnesia, and I told Jason that some friends of the vampires had come to rescue me. He was properly taken aback and enraged. But there was one more thing he needed to know. The one thing I needed his help with.

"The witches said they found me by looking inside Bill Compton's house. He's keeping information about me and I need to know what, and if possible take it away from him," I said, studying Jason's reaction.

He frowned first. "Vampire Bill is keeping information on you?" he asked.

I nodded.

"Well that is some fucked up shit! What the fuck is he doing stalking my baby sister?" There! Yes! That was what I wanted. Jason in protect-o-mode.

"So you'll help me?" I asked, just making sure, though I knew he would.

"Yeah! And if he does have something…"

"We're filing a complaint with the vampire sheriff," I said, interrupting him.

He flared his nostrils in disgust. "Fine, we'll file a complaint with Eric." I gave Jason a meaningful look, and he caught on. "Eric will kill him, won't he?"

"It depends on what we find," was my answer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Jason tapped the screwdriver forcefully with the hammer, popping the lock rather easily in my opinion. I was truly surprised.

"Don't worry. You can't do this to the locks in your house," he said, waggling his eyebrows. "I changed them a long time ago."

"Good to know," I mumbled as he opened the door to Bill Compton's house. I knew what we were doing was illegal, I really did. But dog nab it! Bill had stuff on me and I wanted it back.

The house was musty, but clean. It seemed he was still in the middle of making repairs and hadn't furnished it completely. Jason and I stood in the middle of a large foyer, with a grand staircase off to the right, and what looked to be several rooms with several entrances. The light of day filtered through the sheers that had been installed over every window. I had only glanced at the downstairs the night Eric and I brought Bill back from Mississippi.

"Where do you suppose he keeps an office?" I asked Jason.

"Come on," he said, leading the way to the first room to our right. It was a plain living room with a sofa, a chair and a coffee table. Nothing else except the curtains on the windows. Jason checked under the cushions of the chairs and checked to see if the coffee table had a top that lifted, but nothing was amiss.

I followed him to the next room through a doorway from the living room. It was a dining room, and there was no furniture whatsoever. The only thing that gave it away as a dining room was an old chandelier hanging from the middle of the room. The poor thing was missing several crystal pieces, and the fixtures were crooked. We moved west and found a small kitchen that looked to have been renovated, with new appliances and a small breakfast table. Jason couldn't help himself and opened the fridge, only to find that it was full of True Blood. He made a face and closed it. I giggled.

"You don't have that much blood for Eric in your fridge," he observed.

"Eric only drinks about a bottle a night. Bill is much younger. He probably drinks three or four bottles, less if he has someone to feed off of," I explained. Again, Jason made a face, but regained his composure and started looking in all the cabinets and drawers, not finding much.

The fourth room on the main floor looked like a den, with a couch and a TV, but nothing else. Jason still checked under the cushions and inside the TV cabinet, just in case.

"I guess we're going upstairs," Jason said, going to the staircase.

I'd already seen the upstairs, and I knew Bill couldn't have spent days in his bedroom, which was just as well. It wouldn't be locked and we'd be able to get inside. I led the way straight to Bill's bedroom. The room was bright with the early morning winter sun, but that wasn't what made Jason and I gasp in tandem.

There were mountains of papers strewn here and there on the bed, and photos tacked onto the papered walls. Photos of me. There was one of me standing next to Eric after the meeting of the DoGD when Bill spoke. The only way I knew I was standing next to Eric was the fact that I was looking up smiling into a chest covered by a navy blue shirt. Eric had been cut out of the picture and I had been zoomed into. There were a few pictures of me in my Elvira dress working at Fangtasia. There was another of the night Stan Davis had his party in Dallas, presumably before the attack on his house. There was one more, one that made me see all shades of red. It was as if Bill had taken the picture with an infrared camera while Eric and I were making love. In my bedroom. I was in profile, straddling Eric.

I tore it with a grunt, and then tore each and every picture from the wall. "If I knew where he was right now, I'd kill him," I hissed.

Jason's own face was turning purple as he looked at the papers on the bed. "He knows everything about you. All your bills, your insurance on the house, he even has your birth certificate and a copy of your driver's license… the deed to the house… Gran's obituary, contact information for Uncle Bartlett. He has my information too."

Jason and I looked at each other for a brief moment, exchanging the same idea, before we started gathering all the papers on the bed.

"We need to check the other rooms," Jason said, once all the papers were gathered into two neat piles. I'd hidden the photos in between other papers.

Jason and split, Scooby Doo style, and checked the rest of the bedrooms and the bathrooms. We found nothing else amiss. We gathered the papers from the master bedroom and started to head out. Jason stopped at the top of the stairs.

"Attic?" he asked, looking at me beside him.

I shrugged. I hadn't thought of it. "Worth a try," I conceded.

We set the papers on the floor and I followed him to where he'd seen the attic stairs tucked into the ceiling over the east wing of the house. The cord was pulled all the way into the stairs, so Jason went and grabbed a chair from the master bedroom, stood on it, and tugged. The stairs opened silently, as if they'd been oiled recently. Jason and I had come prepared to enter a vampire's house, and each had a flashlight. We ascended into the attic and flashed our lights this way and that.

Bill had set up his office here, and wonder of wonders: a casket. My heart was already going fast from being so mad, and now it was doing somersaults. I felt my face flush. If Bill was inside the casket, dead asleep, I just might kill him. After everything I'd done for him when his _mom_ tortured him to near death, and that's how he repaid me? Moreover, he hadn't had those photos up on the wall or those papers on the bed when we'd brought him home. Obviously this had been a new development.

"Do you think he's in there?" Jason asked, moving closer to the casket.

"Only one way to find out," I said. Jason and I used each of our free hands to open it, and sure enough: there was Bill.

The first thing I did was punch him right on the nose with all my might… which was actually mightier than usual after taking Eric's blood two nights before. "You're a pervert, Bill Compton!" I shouted. Obviously, he didn't move.

"Well said, sis," Jason mumbled, still looking around the attic. He'd found a desk with Bill's PC. "The computer is on," he said, and turned on the monitor. "What kind of idiot doesn't password protect his screen?"

"The kind of idiot who's been around too long to realize that things aren't what they used to be. Some vampires have a hard time adjusting to the new status quo," I said, looking over Jason's shoulder at the computer monitor. It looked like a search screen, the kind that prompted you to search by last name, first name, et cetera. On the top of the screen was the name of the program: VampGo, powered by LexisNexis. I hadn't spent countless hours at the library to not know that LexisNexis was a database for people who did research.

I reached around Jason and typed in Eric's name in the boxes, then clicked on "Search." In about a second the computer retrieved a picture of Eric (the one from his driver's license, actually), date of turning (circa 980 C.E.), sire (Appius Livius Ocella), preternatural powers (flying at great speed), child (Pamela Ravenscroft), profession (owner of various businesses), political offices (Sheriff of Area 5, Louisiana, U.S.A.), and countless other tidbits of information… including the very unusual tidbit that he was blood bonded and married to one Sookie Stackhouse. Each item was underlined, meaning there was a link that could be followed. I clicked on my name. The same database returned my picture from my driver's license, and a bunch of N/A next to the standard vampire information… except preternatural powers, where it appeared that I was a telepath.

"Oh, boy!" Jason said, pointing at that line in particular.

"Yeah… I don't think the Queen of Louisiana wanted to share that information with anybody," I said. I looked down at the actual PC. "Is this running off a disk or off the internet?"

Jason looked around. "Both, it seems." He pulled on a plug for the router. "Go ahead and do a search." I did and the program said that the internet server hadn't been found. "Okay… you probably need the disk to get the information off the internet," Jason explained.

I nodded. "Can we take the disk?"

Jason opened the DVD-ROM and examined the disk. There was nothing written on it. "We'll probably need a password or internet key to use it, sign an end license agreement, and so on. Without it this might not work."

I thought about it briefly. "Bring it anyway," I said, and turned back to the computer. I minimized the program and opened a new document in Word. I wasn't a genius at computers, but I had composed the odd letter for Eric recently. I changed the font size to 48, made the letters bold, and in all caps wrote: **EVERYTHING THAT'S MISSING HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOUR SHERIFF. SINCERELY, SOOKIE NORTHMAN.**

"Let him go complain to Eric," I mumbled under my breath.

"He might go complain to that Queen of theirs," Jason noted.

"The Queen won't like it that Bill is stalking a sheriff's blood bonded. She holds my union to Eric in high regard. She even sent us a Christmas card, in her own writing," I said, holding my chin up.

"Do you mind?" Jason asked, pointing at Bill as we made our way past the casket and down from the attic.

"Not at all," I said, and turned towards the stairs. Jason had very little self control, and the fact that he had asked was proof that he'd changed his ways. If he wanted to beat up Bill, more power to him. Jason had been spied on too.

"Are you going to show Eric these things tonight?" Jason asked, helping me get everything in my house.

"Not tonight. We have a thing," I didn't want to go into specifics since Jason didn't know that Eric had lost his memory. "Why do you ask? Do you want to be there?"

"Hell, yeah! I wanna see how mad Eric's gonna get at Bill. You have to give me that, at least," he said, trying to reason with me.

"You're right," I said, because he was. "I'll call you before I do it. In the meantime, help me put this upstairs." We stowed everything away in what used to be Jason's bedroom and he left to go to work.

Ultimately I was glad that Jason had been there with me. I think I would have been more scared than mad at what I'd seen, and my plan would not have worked. The part that hurt me the most was the fact that I'd cared for Bill when his maker had reduced him to a bloody corpse. I'd even argued with Eric about giving him the blood without choking him. Eric had to swallow his jealousy when I stayed to help clean Bill of blood. And _this_ was how he repaid me? By stalking me and taking pictures of me naked? While having sex? _With my husband?_ Nu-uh! That was sooo not going to work.

**TBC**


	35. The Goddess

**A/N: **Once again I get my answers from the Viking Answer Lady. Her website is just that, with the usual w's in the front and the dot com in the back. I also had to read up a little in Wikipedia, but for sure the Viking Answer Lady showed me the way. If only she knew what we're using the information for…

* * *

**Chapter 35 – The Goddess**

The witches arrived a little before sunset to set up for the spell they would cast. Octavia was as polite as before, and Amelia's loud mental chatter was a bit quieter. She was concentrating on all the steps needed to complete the spell properly. For someone who had struck me as an obstreperous (Word of the Day) know-it-all, I had to say she was behaving like a professional that night.

Octavia and Amelia were "setting up shop" (Amelia's words) in the far west corner of my property, close to the line of trees. Octavia said she needed a sacred space.

"I don't want anybody to come too close to the house and find out what we're doing," I said to Octavia a little cryptically. What I meant was I didn't want _Bill_ to wake up and come anywhere near the house or see what the witches were going to do to Eric.

"That's easy enough," Octavia nodded, and gave Amelia instructions to widen the house magic to encompass my whole property. She saw my confused look. "You know how vampires can only enter your home if they have your invitation?" I nodded. "Amelia is going to make it so that same magic is at work through your whole property. Only persons allowed inside your home will be allowed inside your property, plus it will apply to all manner of creatures, human, vampire, shifter, or otherwise."

"Oh!" was all I could think to say. "That's awful nice of you."

"Don't mention it," said Octavia, and continued working on setting up for Eric's spell.

I left them to it and went to wait for Eric impatiently, sitting on the bed in the spare bedroom. He came out of the cubby hole at quarter to six.

"My love, are you alright?" he asked. I'd jumped from excitement when he came out.

"Yes! The witches are here. They're setting everything up," I said, almost hopping. I couldn't smile. My nerves were getting the better of me. It had been an eventful day and I had so much to tell him, but I had to address one problem at a time.

Eric put both his massive hands on my shoulders and held me down, making me stop all the bouncing. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to steady my nerves. He put his forehead to mine. "I love you, Sookie."

And with that I relaxed completely. I put my arms around his waist and pulled him close. He hugged me too, moving to put his cheek on my head. Even though his embrace was cool, it warmed me. Everything would be fine. I knew it in my gut.

I pulled away from Eric reluctantly, but didn't let go of his hand. I grabbed the quilt that Octavia needed and bundled us up. I knew Eric would have gone outside without his coat and shoes, but I wasn't about to allow that, so even though he griped he put on his coat. We joined the witches outside. Octavia looked ready. Amelia was nervous.

"Sookie," Octavia smiled at me in greeting then looked at Eric, holding her hands out to him. He looked at me first, looking for some sort of confirmation, and I nodded enthusiastically. Eric put his hands in hers. "Eric, we're not going to do anything different than your people used to do. I am a seið-kona, and I will invoke Freyja to help us rid you of the curse. Can you approve of that?"

"Yes," Eric said immediately. Obviously what the witch had said made sense to him. It only had to make sense to _him_ and the witches. I was a little lost.

Octavia switched her gaze back to me, sensing my skepticism, or else my confusion. "The goddess is known by many names. Eric knows Freyja best. She will help us, have faith."

I nodded. I had to have faith that this would work. I loved Eric, and even if he loved me without his memories, it was still a tentative love. He would never understand _us_ fully until he remembered the night he chose me, the night we bonded, our wedding; our fights… the way we made up. It was more than that, because the real Eric was missing, the one who ran his businesses and his fiefdom with an efficient and fair hand. _All_ of us needed that Eric back.

I set the quilt where Octavia pointed and Eric lied on it, looking up at the stars through the empty tree branches. It was bitterly cold, but thankfully there was no wind. I stood aside and let the witches do their thing, while I read Amelia's mind. They were putting amber and jet in the ground, starting a chant as they moved in a circle around Eric. He looked at me briefly, his confidence filling me and igniting my own. I figured it wouldn't hurt if I myself prayed.

I sank to the ground and asked Eric's goddess to listen to me too. I didn't question whether she was real or not. After everything I'd learned in the past few months, I knew that anything was possible. After all, my fairy cousin was working on becoming an angel, and I'd always known that angels belonged in the realm of God. What else belonged up there? An old feeling of deep faith enveloped me, something I hadn't felt for a very long time. It was the belief in the divine I'd had when I was very little and said my prayers at night with my dad. I used to imagine my guardian angel was a beautiful red-haired woman. I'd forgotten all about her, but I remembered her that night as the witches intoned their chant, becoming louder, until it was more of a song than a chant.

My eyes were closed and I was deep in prayer when I felt Eric's fear tumble into me, then heard him cry out in pain. I looked up immediately. He was writhing in agony. Before Octavia even told me, I was by his side, kneeling beside him. I took his face in my hands. His own hands were ripping the quilt underneath him, digging into the earth. The witches didn't stop their song, so this must have been part of the spell.

"I'm here. I'm here, Eric, look at me," I whispered. His blue eyes were wild, but they didn't turn black like I expected, and his fangs didn't run out. Finally he fixed his gaze on me, breathing raggedly as if he was out of breath. He must have been in pain, but I couldn't understand his body's reaction. Vampires in pain became beasts. Eric looked every bit the man.

I caressed his hair, trying to soothe him, but it wasn't helping. He let out a long wail that ripped my own soul in two, then another, then another. I cried in desperation, bending over him and asking my guardian angel to protect him, to deliver him from this.

Everything stopped.

There were no sounds, nothing from the night. No insects. No night birds. No witches chanting. Eric was silent. The only thing I could hear was my own heart beating frantically in my ears. I looked up from my protective position over Eric, and found myself looking into a pair of green eyes.

Amelia's thoughts hit me first. She kept repeating _the goddess, the goddess_, over and over. All I could see was Tina standing on Eric's chest. I looked down at Eric. His eyes were closed and he was completely still. He was crying, his blood staining my hands.

"Eric? Eric!" I tried to rouse him. Tina came closer to his face and licked his chin. Only then did he open his eyes. "Eric?"

He responded, looking up at me briefly before he succumbed again. Tina licked my hand, her raspy tongue making me take my eyes off Eric. She meowed, leapt off his chest, and ran towards the woods. I couldn't spare her any more thought. I used the extra strength I still had thanks to Eric, and pulled him to me. I held him tight, willing him to wake up, say something, anything.

"It is done," Octavia announced at the same time that Pam's sedan screeched to a halt in front of the house.

Pam ran towards us. She was in all manner of distress. She knew something was wrong with her maker, but hadn't been here to see it happen. "What happened?" she demanded of the witches.

"It is done," Octavia repeated. "He will sleep while his memories return. They became too much for him to handle while awake. I suggest you take him where he can spend the rest of the night and day without being disturbed."

Pam and I exchanged a look and then we both looked at Eric. We both loved him, each in our own way. Pam's emotions became too much and she started crying silently. "I didn't know what was happening. It felt like he was dying," she confessed in a very quiet voice, meant for only me to hear.

I wrapped my free arm around her shoulder and pulled her to me. She hugged me and hugged Eric, all three of us. Our family. I composed myself slowly. The witches were still praying as they removed stones from the ground then left us as they walked around my house with what looked like wands.

"We should take him to Shreveport," I said to Pam. She nodded, picking him up easily. She walked him to her car and settled him in the front passenger seat, after I moved the seat and the backrest all the way back.

The witches approached us. Octavia put a pouch in my hand before speaking. "These stones will protect you from any further witchcraft. They have been imbued with Freyja's magic. Sookie, Pam, there is something you ought to know," Octavia started. She was talking while I was reading Amelia's mind. In it she was equating Tina with the goddess Freyja. I blocked her and continued listening with my ears. "So the appearance of the cat was most auspicious. Surely the goddess sent her, if it wasn't the goddess herself."

I shook my head, trying to clear it. "That was Tina. She used to be my cat and I gave her to Jason because I wouldn't be able to care for her."

Octavia eyed me carefully, choosing her words. "Sometimes things are more than they seem."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I cleaned Eric's face, changed his shirt, tucked him tight, and waited. Octavia said he would not wake until the next night. Pam had left to take care of his businesses and hers, saying she'd come back as soon as she could the next night.

Too nervous to remain idly by his side, I started cleaning the house. It really didn't need it. I'd just cleaned it top to bottom the week before, and I was the only one putting out dead skin cells. Nevertheless, it kept my mind occupied. So I dusted, wiped, scrubbed, vacuumed, swept and mopped every available surface, and when that was done I did laundry… all ten items. By the time I was finished it was nearly dawn and I was exhausted.

I took a shower and washed my hair, later drying it perfectly straight. There was no reason for this, really. Eric liked it in waves better. I'd found that even though I was tired and sleepy, I didn't want to sleep. I painted my fingernails and toenails, and waited patiently until they dried. Finally I couldn't postpone sleep anymore. I lied next to Eric and hugged myself to him. My body was too exhausted to allow me to remain awake, and I was out like a lamp the minute I closed my eyes.

"Sookie?"

I awoke with a start when I heard my name. I sat up so fast that the room started spinning and I had to lie back down. I looked to my right and Eric was awake. "Eric!" I practically threw myself at him, ignoring the spinning room.

He held me tight without speaking, burying his face at my neck, taking deep breaths. Before I could form a thought and a sentence, he'd moved his mouth to mine and was kissing me wildly. I put my leg up on his waist, and he reached between us, ripping cloth and getting inside me as soon as he could. He groaned loudly into my mouth. He'd started moving fast but stopped suddenly.

"Look at me Sookie," he said. I gasped.

"Do you remember?" I asked. I was barely registering his feelings within me. My joy was overwhelming.

"Yes, yes, my love," he smiled and began moving inside me slowly. I didn't care if he wanted to look at me. I hugged him tight, using his shirt as a handkerchief for my tears of joy. I looked up and asked for his lips. We kissed and made love for what seemed like hours – though it was only minutes – neither one of us willing to let go of the other's gaze. When we came together, it was like coming home after a long journey.

He held me tight as we rode the aftershocks together. "I didn't know I could love you any more than I already did," he said in his quiet voice. I took a deep breath, letting his words fill me and make me whole again. "I am so sorry to have hurt you, Sookie. Can you forgive me?"

I tightened my grip. "Yes," I answered simply. I really wanted to remind him that he'd sworn to tell me everything so that I wouldn't be caught blindsided. This was not the time, and I was sure he needed no reminder.

"And I'm sorry about the things I said when I was not myself," he continued.

I blinked. "What things?"

He looked up, resting his chin on my chest so he could look at me as he spoke. "About having children," he mumbled.

I gave him a half smile, a sad smile. "It was more your wish than mine."

He looked at me, trying to decipher my feelings on the subject. "You don't feel as if I've taken that away from you?"

"No," I said quickly, and he looked surprised. "My quirk," I began. He gave me a knowing look. "I don't know, and there's no way to know, if I could pass it to my children. I never imagined a regular life for myself, with a husband and children. When you came along and made me your wife, I figured I got lucky beyond belief. But, honestly, I can't miss something I never wanted."

"You don't ever want children?"

"That's not what I meant. I meant that it was never something I actively wished for," I explained.

He searched my eyes again. "I had children," he said, without taking his eyes off mine.

That tidbit hit me in more ways than one. I hadn't expected it, though why wouldn't he have had children? He was a grown man before he was turned. He'd probably had a wife, children, land, and a whole family that missed him when he "died." Then his sadness hit me hard. I understood now.

"I'm sorry," I said, unable to stop the tears from prickling my eyes and making their way down my cheeks to my neck. His wish had been tied to something he'd already had, something he wanted back. It broke my heart, _again_. "I'm sorry," I repeated as he brought himself up to kiss my damp cheeks.

"I shouldn't have told you. I've made you cry enough for all my lifetimes. I'm the one who's sorry, Sookie. My dear one…" he whispered. "My love," he kept kissing my tears away. "Why didn't you set me straight? Why didn't you tell me we couldn't have children? You even had Pam go along with it."

"I didn't want to break your heart," I answered with the truth. "I hope you can forgive me."

"Forgive you? Sookie… You were so good to me. I owe you for so much; I don't even know how to repay you."

"_Now_ who's being absurd?" I asked him, smiling through my tears. "You do know you're my husband, right?"

"I seem to remember I owe you a honeymoon someplace warm," he said, smiling.

I smiled, but I knew there were a lot of loose ends to be tied before we could take time off. He'd been away from his life for more than half a week. Then there was the matter about Bill. My smile faded. "Come on. Pam will be here any minute," I said, attempting to get up from under his weight.

He didn't let me and held me tighter. "What happened? Why are you mad? Are you mad at me or at Pam?"

Um… whoops! "No, honey, I'm not mad at either of you. There's something I have to tell you both, about how the witches found me. But I want to say it once, and then we have to go back to Bon Temps. So let's get ready, okay?"

Eric raised an eyebrow. Not only did he know I was mad, he knew I'd just gotten madder. "Alright, but I want to hear everything the minute Pam arrives."

"Trust me, you will," I promised.

Pam must have gotten to Eric's house while we were getting dressed for the night, because we found her in the kitchen where she'd already availed herself of a True Blood. She looked at Eric wide eyed, waiting…

"I'm back to normal," Eric said, putting her out of her misery.

"Oh, thank God!" she said, letting out a big puff of air she'd been holding. Honestly, why did vampires hold their breath and do such things? They didn't need to breathe, and they could hold their breath indefinitely.

"And Sookie has something to tell us," he announced then they both looked at me expectantly.

It was my turn to take a deep breath. "I didn't tell you exactly how the witches found my house," I looked at Eric. "They knew I was in Bon Temps, so they went to Bill Compton's house, the only vampire in town, to see if you were spending your day there. Obviously they didn't find you, but they found…" I stopped talking. The bile was rising in my throat at the thought of the one picture that told me well and truly that Bill was a stalker.

"Found what, Sookie?" Eric pressed. He was starting to get stressed.

"Bill had compiled all kinds of information on me and Jason. He even had pictures of me tacked onto the walls of his bedroom. Plus we found a database that has me listed as your wife and a telepath," I said, not watching my words.

"Wait a minute! What do you mean _you found_? Who found what? Did you go to Compton's house?" Eric asked. He was mad, but I wasn't sure at whom.

I swallowed hard. "I called Jason and we went there yesterday, during the day. He helped me break in and I took all the papers and photos. They're in my house."

Eric was fuming and Pam… was smiling like a lunatic. "We need to go see those papers," she said. She was enjoying this too much.

We took Pam's car to Bon Temps, the only car big enough to accommodate all three of us comfortably. At the house, Pam and I made our way upstairs and retrieved the papers. We all sat at the kitchen table to look at everything. Well, actually, they were looking at everything. I was averting my eyes as much as possible.

Eric and Pam were getting madder and madder. I left the kitchen to answer the door. Jason came after I'd sent him a text. "Just stay here. Eric might tear the kitchen apart," I said to Jason.

Sure enough, at the same time that I felt his rage inside me Eric bellowed out every kind of obscenity he could think of, some in foreign languages.

"He found the photo," Jason said in a quiet voice. He hadn't seen the photo in detail, because I'd taken it down so quickly, but he knew what was in it.

We made our way slowly to the kitchen. We found Pam making phone calls, talking so fast and so low that it all sounded like a hiss. Eric was pacing, looking like if he put his hand on anything he would break it and imagine it was Bill's neck. Moreover, both vampires had their fangs out in their rage.

Eric turned to look at me. "What was in the disk?"

Jason answered instead. "It allows the user to access a database with information about vampires. The reason we took it is because there was information about Sookie. I don't know about you, but I don't want _everybody_ in your world to know she's a telepath."

Eric examined Jason, and calmed down. He was still in battle mode, to be sure, but now his determination had taken over. "Very well. We will need to see Queen Sophie-Anne as soon as possible and show her the information. She will not take kindly that Bill has been gathering extraneous information about my blood bonded and her family." He turned to me. "When we tell her what you are and who you are, the Queen will have no choice but to punish Compton."

"What do you mean?" Jason asked.

My fear spiked. I hadn't told Jason he was part fairy and that we had a whole entire side of the family living in another realm. Or was it dimension?

Eric caught on quickly. "She's my wife and blood bonded, but also my business partner at Fangtasia," he said to Jason. I wasn't his business partner, but Jason needed some kind of explanation.

"Will she kill Vampire Bill?" Jason asked, referring to Bill as they knew him around Bon Temps.

"The will of the Queen is not known to me, but I will highly recommend it," Eric answered.

_Yikes_! I thought. But… Bill had brought it on himself. What was he thinking? The photo of me naked could only serve one purpose, and I shuddered, thinking of Bill… looking at me and… playing with It… "Aaargh! Yuk! Blech! Oh, disgusting!"

**TBC**

**A/N: **Hi, everybody! Sooo… we're going to New Orleans… never been to New Orleans… I welcome any and all thoughts on the city, whether you know it before or after Katrina. THANKS!


	36. I Wish I Was Special

**A/N: **Some of you knew I was musing on whether to do this… Some of you are being caught unawares… Either way, please consider this as an exercise in how to be creepy (on my part, since I don't consider myself a creepy person – I could be wrong). I apologize in advance, and I'll never do it again. Unless it's fun – doubtful. To add to my own confusion, I'm doing this in the third person singular, when I usually write in first person. You're all my guinea pigs, what can I say? This tiny chapter takes place the night the witches lifted Eric's curse.

Inspired by Radiohead's "Creep," without further ado: Here's Bill!

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**Chapter 36 – I Wish I Was Special**

Bill woke up for the night with the smell and taste of blood in his nose and mouth. Nothing hurt, so he couldn't explain the feeling. There was another scent that lingered, and after opening the lid to his casket he knew exactly what it was. It was Sookie's scent, the one he'd coveted ever since he'd met her. Actually, he'd wanted to drown in that scent ever since he'd delivered her uniforms to her grandmother's house, and the whole house was saturated with the smell of the young woman.

Fear gripped him when he realized that her scent in this part of the house did not bode well for him or his secret desire to make her his. Bill got out of his casket and followed Sookie's sweet musk to the chair in front of his computer. He turned on the monitor and stared at the words that appeared, unable to make sense of them at first. **EVERYTHING THAT'S MISSING HAS BEEN GIVEN TO YOUR SHERIFF. SINCERELY, SOOKIE NORTHMAN. **He looked down at the PC, and saw immediately that the disk he'd been working on was missing. The DVD-ROM had been left open.

He looked to his left and noticed the stairs to the attic had been left open. Bill descended to the second floor of his house and followed Sookie to his bedroom. Everything was gone. She had taken every scrap of paper and every photo on the wall. He had copies of everything, but that did not take away from the fact that Sookie had found out his secret.

Bill was in love with Sookie.

At first he only wanted her. She was beautiful and smelled good. Too good. Pam had warned him to keep away from the little spitfire, and that she was Eric's woman. He tried his luck anyway, until one day Eric's scent was indeed all over Sookie. He'd lost. Better luck next time, and all that.

His hope ignited the night Eric and Sookie retrieved him from his maker. Sookie had been distraught at seeing the bloody mess Lorena had made of him. She'd made sure Eric fed him correctly. She'd held his hand all the way back to Bon Temps. She had cleaned him and even cried for him. Who else would have cried for someone such as him, except a kind and generous soul like Sookie? And why would she cry to begin with? He'd asked her, and she'd answered that she'd been so mad at him, but never finished her sentence. Bill's mind wondered what she meant.

In his mind, Bill had conjured a beautiful scenario. Sookie had pleaded with Eric to save Bill from his maker's torture. She would withhold favors if Eric didn't take her to Mississippi to look for Bill. Once they found him, beaten and bloody, Sookie's love for Bill flared to the point that she _needed_ to take care of him. Eric's wishes did not figure prominently in Bill's mind, only Sookie's words. When Bill visited her house on Thanksgiving, he wanted to explain _everything_ to her, even if that meant explaining it to Eric and Pam as well. As long as Sookie listened, he could redeem himself in her eyes.

Bill had taken to walk around her property, to watch over it or watch over Sookie. One night he heard the cries of pleasure coming from her bedroom. They were both hers and Eric's. Neither of them noticed as he stood by the window, looking into their lovemaking. Eric had bent her over and was pounding into her violently. She asked for more, but that couldn't be Sookie talking. Bill figured she did it to speed things up.

Eric brought her up, and Bill saw Sookie's completely naked body for the first time: full breasts bouncing with Eric's thrusts, her golden hair a wild mane that reached almost to her waist, the soft curls gracing that most sacred of places, the one that was at that moment being desecrated by Eric's engorged penis.

He managed to overlook Eric's figure behind Sookie. She was magnificent to behold. He imagined himself the recipient of her soft entreaties, the one who was making her cry in pleasure, and he felt his own penis demand attention. Bill sank to the ground, still listening to Sookie's words and moans, her voice thick, asking, begging. He imagined his hand was Sookie's hand, coaxing and begging for _his_ release. Bill's orgasm coincided with Sookie's final screams of passion, and he saw it as a sign.

Bill and Sookie were meant to be together.

The next night he returned to Sookie's house, this time with a camera that could take pictures in the dark without a flash. Sookie's beautiful body was bouncing up and down, straddling Eric. Bill wished himself in Eric's position, took the picture, and disappeared back to his house. He couldn't chance the good luck he'd had the first night. Eric hadn't heard or seen anything, but that didn't mean he would remain oblivious for long.

So, instead, Bill made do with the picture of his beloved Sookie on the nights that he felt deprived. He had begun to date a real estate agent, but she wasn't what he was looking for. The woman – Selah Pumphrey – was barely better than a fangbanger, with perhaps more money and more expensive perfume. She merely wanted Bill for the thrill of dating a vampire, and he merely wanted her for blood and a fuck. He couldn't help to compare her to Sookie, though. Sookie was voluptuous, soft, with rounded shoulders and thighs that begged to be bitten. Selah was thin, with bones that would show if she moved a certain way. She had none of that soft look that became Sookie so well.

He never brought Selah to his house. He only wanted to make love to one woman under his roof, and that woman was Sookie Stackhouse.

It had all started in New Orleans. He was visiting and gathering information for the database he wanted to put together, when he met a delicious fangbanger by the name of Hadley Delahoussaye. Hadley had been dancing when Bill saw her at the bar he visited, only a couple of streets away from Queen Sophie-Anne's compound. Her blood was hot and smelled better than any other human's. It was easy to talk her into taking him to her place.

Bill soon found that Hadley liked to talk. She told him everything about her cousin the telepath, about her wish to become a vampire, about the town she'd grown up in. It was serendipitous, Bill believed, that he'd found the one person in New Orleans who used to live in the town he'd helped build.

But the telepath… the telepathic cousin of this woman was the key to open Queen Sophie-Anne's door. She brought Hadley to the Queen the very next night, and the Queen had been intrigued by both the information and Hadley. Bill immediately offered to go to Bon Temps, to retrieve the telepath and bring her to Sophie-Anne.

"No, Bill. Thank you for the offer, but if there is a telepath in my state then she needs to be protected by someone a bit stronger than you," Sophie-Anne had said. "I don't want that Peter idiot to get wind of her," she mumbled angrily.

Eventually Bill agreed to go to Bon Temps and pretend to spy for the King of Arkansas, Peter Threadgill. Bill was to report all his findings to Sophie-Anne. In exchange she would front him the money to start his own business, and if all went well, she would forgive the debt.

He sat on his bed dejected, with his head in his hands, shaking it back and forth slowly. Sookie had given everything to Eric. Knowing Eric, he would go and put a complaint with the Queen. The Queen wouldn't care about the information Bill had gathered, but his beautiful photo… his beautiful Sookie… the Queen could not forgive Bill's interference with Eric's blood bonded. Eric was a Sheriff, after all: The Queen's Sheriff, hand-picked carefully. He'd made Northwest Louisiana _the_ place to be if a vampire desired to leave New Orleans, but still remain in the state. Eric had the ability to keep them in the state, keep the revenue coming in. Sophie-Anne would not overlook that, no matter how highly she regarded Bill. All Bill could hope for was to remain alive.

Depressed that his love would never be returned due to his own stupidity, Bill walked across the cemetery to Sookie's house one more time. He reached the edge of her property and was stopped by an invisible force. He knew the feeling well.

Bill was uninvited.

He returned to his house to await his Queen's summon.

**A/N: NOT to be continued… **not this version, anyway. I kept it short and sweet. Y'all need to remind me not to do this again, okay? We shall continue with our regularly scheduled program shortly.


	37. Way Down in New Orleans

**A/N: **I honestly couldn't believe how many reviews I got for Bill's POV. Y'all are wonderful to me, and really mean to Bill. Well… so am I.

This chapter is kind of short but I wanted to separate it from what's coming next, which – I imagine – will not be pleasant.

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**Chapter 37 – Way Down in New Orleans**

I looked over the French Quarter from our bedroom window. Pam had gone overboard and booked us into the Executive Suite at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans, just a short walk to Queen Sophie-Anne's… castle? No, Eric had called it her compound. I wondered how compounded it was.

"Sookie, at some point tonight you need to eat," Eric said again for the umpteenth time.

"I'm eating…"

"Your nails don't count," he said, taking me by the shoulders and pulling me away from the window. He made me sit down and enticed me with a praline crème brulee. He'd ordered the food for me, because I'd refused. He'd been extra attentive with me as of late.

As un-hungry as I was, I couldn't pass up the crème brulee. After all, how many times does one get to have crème brulee? Maybe eating dessert first would get me in the mood to eat the rest of the food Eric had ordered.

"What has you so nervous?" he asked, making his voice soft. I'd been a wreck as we packed, as we drove, during the day while he slept, and now. I had barely slept myself, and had survived on coffee. But there's only so much that coffee will do before your body gives up and needs rest.

"The Queen wanted me to live here at some point, remember that? What if she wants to keep me?" I asked.

"I'm sure that is no longer her wish," Eric said. He waited until I looked up confused before he continued. "The King of Arkansas has been spending a lot of time with her writing their prenuptial agreement. She wouldn't want you too close to him and have you become part of the agreement as well."

"Well, since you put it that way," I said, peeved. I wasn't even mad at him. He was just getting the brunt of my nerves. I took it down a notch or two, for his sake. Eric was being a good sport and putting up with this sudden swing in my mood, and didn't deserve me being a bitch… particularly after what we'd both gone through.

I tried to eat, but could only manage the rest of the crème brulee and the Caesar salad. The rest looked too rich for my stomach to handle. I did drink the whole liter of water he'd gotten for me. I'd be peeing forever, but nervousness made me thirsty.

Eric stood behind me and began releasing the tension from my shoulders. He moved his fingers to my scalp and the soothing motion almost made me fall asleep right there on the chair. We had been sitting at the small dining table in the suite's living room, but Eric decided to pick me up and move me to the bed.

He nestled me under the covers, snuggling beside me. He opened the bathrobe I'd had on and started running his fingers over my skin, kissing my lips once in a while. He continued his gentle ministrations, without outwardly hinting at the fact that he wanted me. Eric was going to make me beg for him, I knew he was. But it was okay. I needed a diversion, and there really wasn't a better diversion than my husband and his innovative way of making me relax. When his roaming hand started to part my legs, I started panting with need.

He was propped up on his elbow, resting his head on his left hand, while his right hand parted me. Eric ran a finger up and down, spreading my juices everywhere. I made an "mmm" sound before opening my eyes to look at him. His gaze was intense. He loved to watch me writhe and beg. And come.

"Please, Eric," I said, breathless and excited.

"What is it, my love? Do you wish me to stop?" he asked taking his hand away. The meanie!

"No don't stop, I need you," I said, too turned on to care about what I was saying. Just as the words escaped my mouth, there was a knock on the door.

Eric and I groaned in unison. "Keep the fires burning, dear one," he said, kissing my breast before going to open the door. He closed the door to our bedroom before he did that. He might not have had any shame whatsoever (opening the door wearing nothing but his blue boxers and a frown), but he liked to keep me covered. After seeing the photo Bill had taken of us, he'd had every window in my house retrofit with two sets of curtains: a light sheer to let in the light, and a dark heavy drape to close over the sheers every night. I couldn't blame him.

After seeing the photo I'd felt dirty… and I hadn't even done anything wrong! I'd been caught having sex with my husband. Inside our house. Not exactly shocking. It was everything I imagined Bill to be doing with the photo that had given me the dirty, creepy feeling.

"Sookie, could you come here?" Eric called from the other room.

I rolled my eyes. Ugh! Who could it possibly be? Just when I had started to relax, now we had company. "Be right there," I said, tying the robe securely around me and padding over to the door separating the living room from the bedroom. It suddenly hit me that I was truly tired.

I recognized the young man standing in the living room. It was Andre, Sophie-Anne's second. He was there with a portly man with a kind face, and a buzzing brain. I'd never read anything like it. I blocked it before it gave me a headache. My head wasn't too far away from having one at that moment, and I didn't need the extra burden.

"Hello, Mrs. Northman. How are you this evening?" the portly man asked, nodding in that vampirey way.

"Very well, thank you," I lied. I needed to sit down. I was too tired to remain standing.

"I'm Mr. Cataliades, the Queen's attorney. I hear you have a case against one of her subjects," he said. He was very observant, seeing that I was tired he had made a motion with his hand inviting me to sit down on the couch. He sat at one of the chairs. Eric sat next to me and Andre remained standing. This was Eric's way of deferring to the other vampire, who was higher in rank.

"Yes, sir," I answered, not knowing exactly what to say.

Mr. C. took out a large folder from a briefcase and opened it. It seemed to contain every piece of paper Jason and I had found inside Bill's house. "I must say, Mr. Compton is upset that you broke into his house during his daytime rest."

I was already expecting this, and Eric and I had already spoken about what I was going to say. "As Mr. Compton knows, I replaced the lock to his door with a much better one, and did not take anything that did not belong to me or my brother."

"Except for the disk," Mr. C. was quick to point out.

"Which I will return as soon as I get his assurance that I will not be mentioned in his database," I remarked, just as quickly. "I am sure Queen Sophie-Anne would not want to broadcast that I am a telepath, plus my family highly objects." I threw in my family, with Claudine's blessing. I'd told her everything over the phone and she had given me the idea. Nothing pulled strings harder than being a princess. And _I_ was a string-pulling princess. Name dropper too. Anything to get me out of this jam and get Bill in trouble.

"Your family?" Mr. C. asked. I could see he didn't know. Andre shifted uncomfortably. I was pretty sure he suspected.

"I am Prince Niall Brigant's great-granddaughter," I said. It was all I needed to say.

Mr. C. took out a pen from his breast pocket and scribbled a note on the inside of the folder. "I will have to ask for proof," Mr. C. said, eyeing me curiously. He actually looked pleased. Maybe he didn't like Bill either.

"Be right back," I said, moving slowly to the bedroom. Inside a velvet pouch that I had carefully packed was my grandmother's brooch. Claudine had finally told me its history: It had been a gift from Niall to Fintan and Dermot's mother. When she died, Niall took it back. Many (MANY) years later, Fintan had taken it to give it to Gran. So even though it had been stolen, it really did belong to me, like Claudine had said, since it had belonged to my great-grandmother.

I handed the pouch to Mr. C. and he looked inside it carefully. He took it out, unaffected by silver, and studied it, turning it this way and that. I looked at Andre briefly, who was mesmerized but scared of it. He moved away just a tiny bit. Eric took my left hand in his, threading his fingers through mine. Maybe he'd known what was coming, because Mr. C. intoned something with a demonic voice, and my brooch glowed blue in his hand. I was taken aback by both Mr. C.'s scary voice and the fact that my fairy jewelry liked to glow.

Mr. C. returned the brooch to its pouch and handed it back to me. "Thank you, Mrs. Northman. That is quite a beautiful piece of fairy craftsmanship."

"Do you have the disk?" Andre asked Eric in a curt manner. That's really all they cared about: their money-maker.

"Yes," Eric answered succinctly. What did Andre expect? That we would go back to Bon Temps to retrieve it, after trekking all the way down here? Did he not know the price of gas?

"Very well, bring it tomorrow at nine. We will have a decision made on the case then," Andre said and turned towards the door.

"Good night, Mr. and Mrs. Northman," Mr. Cataliades said with a pleasant smile.

"Could you read Mr. Cataliades mind?" was Eric's first question when we were alone again.

"No, it was all a buzz. Can I go to bed? I'm tired," I said, more than tired. I was dizzy.

"Did you sleep at all?" Eric asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because I couldn't," I answered. I was too tired to keep away my bitchy side at the interrogation, so I changed the subject. "What is he?"

"Who?"

"Mr. Cataliades, what is he?"

"A demon."

I nodded, getting in bed. "That makes sense." He was a lawyer, after all.

"They're not all evil, and he's only a half demon. You'd get along with his nieces, and they're full demons," Eric said, cuddling next to me once more. "Sookie, you need to rest, dear one." He moved me around to my favorite position and pressed his body against mine.

"Okay," I said closing my eyes.

I woke up in the middle of the night really needing to use the bathroom. I'd drunk a whole liter of water for dinner, after all. When I returned to bed, I finally noticed Eric's amused expression. He'd been sitting on the bed, using the headboard as a backrest and working on his laptop. He patted the bed beside him.

I got back under the covers and put my head on his thigh, looking at the screen. He put his arm around me to reach for the keyboard. He'd been answering emails that had to do with his fiefdom. "What's funny?" I asked.

"Your darling sister," Eric began. That's how he referred to Pam nowadays whenever Pam did something he found amusing or he disapproved of, like it was all my fault. "She started a campaign to demand that the NFL include vampires as referees. She even started a blog." Eric clicked on a tab and showed me Pam's blog. The girl had too much time on her hands. She also had many people following her, so obviously this was an issue near and dear to many vampire non-beating hearts.

I smiled. "She's found her calling."

"It's a hobby for her. She takes up causes once in a while, backs them, sees them through, then wipes her hands clean when the job is done and moves on. You should have seen her during the Women's Suffrage movement. Never mind that she couldn't vote regardless of the outcome," Eric explained, and closed the laptop.

"Can I ask you something?" I said looking up. Eric rearranged us in bed before nodding. We were facing each other, our legs tangled. "Who was your maker?"

The moment the question left my mouth I was sorry. Eric's face took on a pained expression that I hadn't seen in a long time, not since he had a bullet stuck in his shoulder. There was a strange kind of apprehension, almost like fear, cascading through our bond. I wasn't sure what to do other than tell him to please disregard the question.

He rearranged his features. "You deserve to know. It is a valid question from my wife." I felt as if the bottom was dropping from my stomach. Once in a while, whenever Eric was trying to remember something from a long time ago, I felt like that. "His name is Appius Livius Ocella. He was a Roman. Nowadays he spends his time in Scandinavia, ever since the Great Revelation."

I tried to think about another question, but couldn't come up with one that wouldn't hurt him. I understood that Eric had been turned while he still had a family waiting for him at home. Now I knew his maker was a Roman man. I hadn't been around newly-made vampires, so I wasn't absolutely clear on their relationship to their makers, other than they loved each other. I knew Eric and Pam had a very sexual early relationship, though I didn't like to think about it too much, and it hadn't lasted very long. Eric himself had explained how makers and children were connected that way. Therefore, by pure deduction, Eric and his maker had been lovers. Somehow I couldn't see Eric with another man.

He read my mind simply by looking at my surprised expression. "I've always preferred women, but I love my maker," he explained in a deep voice.

"I'm not judging. I understand," I said in a small voice. Another fear invaded me, a real one that made my heart sink right into my spleen. "Can he call to you and take you away from me, like Lorena did to Bill?"

Eric studied me with his turquoise eyes, gauging my reaction before answering truthfully. "He could, but he won't." He pressed my body to his. I put my head on his chest and he put his chin on my hair. "Don't worry anymore, my beautiful love. Nobody can separate me from you."

I looked up. I wanted the kiss that was supposed to come with a statement like that. Eric looked down, knowing what I wanted and meeting me halfway. He ghosted his lips over mine, sending the good kind of shivers down my body. I deepened the kiss, taking his lower lip into my mouth and biting a little. Immediately his fangs started running down. "Can we make love now?" I asked, knowing that dawn was just around the corner. He'd already lowered the day shutters over the windows of our room.

"Yes," he hissed and undid the belt of the robe I was still wearing. "You better be ready for me," Eric said, running his fingers between my legs. I wasn't quite there, so he proceeded to ply me gently with his fingers. He dipped one inside me, to bring the wetness closer. "You like that?"

"Mmm-hmm…" was my intelligent answer. He fastened his lips around my left nipple then dipped his finger inside me again, pulling it out to play with my little nub, only to dip his finger yet again. For a moment I thought he'd make love to me for the rest of the night with only his naughty digit.

In a quick move, he'd turned me to my stomach and straddled my legs. "Bring your butt up a little," he said, with one hand under my pelvis to help me. He stuck a pillow under my lower abdomen and began to knead my cheeks, parting them, searching. For a horrible moment I thought he would take me the wrong way, but he didn't. He found the opening he was looking for, and guided himself inside me. The new feeling was amazing. He was rubbing that secret spot he'd found inside me, the one that made me shake every time he touched it and gave me the best orgasms. At that very moment it had me moaning into a pillow.

"Let me hear you Sookie," he ordered, his voice husky.

I turned my head and moaned into the room instead, noticing something I wasn't expecting. The dresser was to the side of the bed, and so was the mirror. Even though I couldn't see me from the angle I was in, I could see Eric in all his magnificent beauty. He was looking down, no doubt watching as he disappeared inside me. It added a new dimension to our lovemaking, and I couldn't look away. He bared all his teeth when he growled, at the same time that he started moving a little faster. "So good, so good…" I gasped. He put his hands at either side of me, coming down a little and thrusting faster.

"Harder, Eric," I commanded. He pushed harder, slamming his pelvis into my bottom, grunting with each thrust. I lost all control and yelled every time he hit that sweet spot, getting closer and closer, hearing him get closer too. "Eric, bite."

When he bit my upper shoulder he came, and so did I. The whole world stood still as wave after wave of pleasure crashed into me, some from my own body's release, and some from what I experienced through our bond. It was wonderful. It was astonishing. It made me cry from all the emotion it produced in me. Eric was quick to realize what happened and rearrange us so he could soothe me.

"Shh… I have you, my love. I have you, I am here," he said, smoothing my hair. He smelled like sex, and blood, and him. "I love you, Sookie. Everything will be alright."

I wasn't sure if he knew why I needed to hear those words. Even _I_ didn't know why I needed to hear those words. Was I still worried that the Queen would keep me? Was I worried of being punished for breaking into Bill's house? Was I worried that Eric's maker would come get him, or worse call him? None of it mattered, because Eric's words, said with such conviction, made me calm down enough so I could sleep.

**TBC**


	38. Law & Order

**A/N: **I had to divide this chapter into a little bit of Sookie, and a little bit of Eric, so we could all see what happened to Bill. Both POV's are pretty easy to follow.

Um… this is gonna get kinda intense and I don't think I have to but I'm going to anyway: I apologize in advance for Eric's potty mouth and mean streak. You have been warned.

Also, if any of you have been to New Orleans, I apologize for my lack of knowledge. I only picked the most likely place for Queen Sophie-Anne's place based on a map, since I've never been… and if you've never been either then… Enjoy! The place is awesome! :-)

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**Chapter 38 – Law & Order**

Eric held my arm in his while we walked to the Queen's digs. Walking there, instead of driving, was mostly for my benefit. If I thought about the cold, or focused on the beauty of the French Quarter, I was less liable to be nervous. I had slept for a long time that day, purely out of exhaustion, so at least my mind was working properly. The walk calmed me down somewhat. It felt romantic to share that short walk with Eric. He taught me a little bit of architecture. It felt like a date for all of fifteen lazy minutes while we strolled west on Iberville to Dauphine.

The Queen of Louisiana's compound looked like a giant garish building to me. From where Eric and I stood it looked like it spanned a block and a half. It was recessed from the sidewalk, which was unusual in the French Quarter, but necessary in order to protect it properly. It was also painted purple, dark purple, with swirls of various colors that resembled ribbons all throughout the façade. There were throngs of people wanting in, making the line for the kiosk where one could purchase a ticket for a tour. I couldn't understand it. It was January! It was cold! Mardi Gras was almost two months away. If it was this busy now, I couldn't imagine what it would be like then.

Eric and I made a bee line for the guard at the main gate. He was a tall man, beautiful as any other vampire, dark and seemingly friendly. He looked Middle-Eastern to me. It seemed as if he could have looked menacing if he wanted to, but didn't really want to.

"Sheriff Northman, Mrs. Northman," he said to us, bowing deeply. Apparently we were expected. We were fifteen minutes early too. Vampires were nothing if not prompt.

"Rasul, always a pleasure," Eric said, nodding. I nodded too and returned the guard's smile.

We followed Rasul inside the gates, while another guard took his place. They all looked like they belonged to the Secret Service: black suits and sparkly white shirts. There was only one thing that gave them away. They all wore different colored ties in bright colors. Rasul had an orange one, and the female guard that escorted us next had a bright pink one.

"I'm Melanie, nice to meet you Sheriff Northman, Mrs. Northman," the girl said smiling widely and bowing to us. She was a true beauty, with curly brown hair, huge light brown eyes, and a pouty mouth. She was shorter than me by a few inches, but with vampires I knew not to put too much stock on size. I'd seen Thalia beat Eric at arm wrestling, and she was just as small as Melanie. It had been funny too: Eric didn't like losing to a girl.

We followed Melanie inside the building. I was fascinated. The main receiving area had beautiful tile floor of a pink granite, Renaissance furniture a la Louis XVI (I'd only learned what that looked like recently, at the hotel), and French doors that led from one room to the next. Melanie led us straight through a third set of double doors that led to an inside courtyard. That seemed strange to me. I thought inside courtyards were of Spanish origin (something I'd read in a novel, of course). Nevertheless it was beautiful. It was too cold for certain plants, but others were thriving around strategically placed fountains. It was a good thing Eric was holding my hand, or I would have gone exploring.

Melanie took us to the far end of the courtyard and opened the door for us. The room looked just like I imagined a throne room to look like. The walls were covered with medieval tapestries (or reproductions of them), gilded mirrors, each about seven feet tall, and thick red cloth. There were no chairs except for one, raised in steps about three feet above the main floor. It was definitely a throne, upholstered in deep crimson velvet. At each side of the steps was a figure of a golden lion holding a pink granite ball under one paw. There was a main crystal chandelier in the middle of the room, much bigger than the two others at either end.

We were soon joined by Mr. Cataliades, Andre, and the Queen, who immediately sat at her throne. "Eric and Sookie, so nice that you came early. Maybe we can get this unpleasant business done and over with by ten," Sophie-Anne said, trying to smile, but not quite achieving it. "Melanie, could you please bring Bill in?"

My stomach flipped uncomfortably and Eric squeezed my hand lightly, willing me to keep it together.

"While we wait for Bill, why don't you tell me how you found out you were related to Prince Niall?" Sophie-Anne asked me.

I didn't see any reason to tell her that it was Pam who had figured it out. After all, Claudine had confirmed it. "My cousin and guardian told me," I said.

"And is Hadley also related to Prince Niall?" she asked without missing a beat.

"Yes she is," I answered quickly. The Queen was smart to have asked that question, and stupid for changing Hadley. Luckily for Sophie-Anne, Hadley had disappeared on her own before reappearing as a vampire.

Melanie returned with Bill at her heels, and another vampire who was, actually, the ugliest one I'd ever seen. May God forgive me for judging people by their appearance, but besides the fact that he was an albino person, he'd been turned past the prime of his life and just didn't have any handsome features.

Sophie-Anne turned a loving gaze to him, and I almost recoiled. After all, real vampire ages aside, she _looked_ like a teenager mooning over a middle-aged man. "Waldo, dear, did you keep Bill company?"

"Yes, ma'am," Waldo said. I had a newfound respect for the man, since he'd been the one assigned to babysit Bill. He hadn't sounded too thrilled when he'd answered. Poor guy.

"Very good," Sophie-Anne said, and blew him a kiss. "You and Melanie can go. Thank you both for your help." She waited until they were both gone before speaking again. "Bill, you've been a bad boy, I'm told. Mr. Cataliades, can you please read the charges?"

"Yes, your majesty," Mr. C. already had the piece of paper ready. "Mr. Compton is accused of the following: spying on Sheriff Northman's blood bonded; spying on Sheriff Northman's brother-in-law; spying on Sheriff Northman's relations with his wife; and providing information regarding Sookie Northman's special ability to the general public."

"You know, and from all of those charges nothing bothers me more than that last one, Bill," the Queen said as soon as Mr. C. stopped talking. "What were you thinking? She has no way to protect herself during the day. That was plain stupidity, Bill. The other things are just sick." Whoa! Miss Sophie-Anne didn't mince words, huh?

"I am sorry, my lady," Bill said looking down at the floor.

"As punishment I will have to keep you in my compound while you finish your project, and for two years thereafter. Also, you have disrespected a beloved Sheriff and his blood bonded, not to mention that she's of royal fairy blood and her family is very upset at you," the Queen said, eyeing Bill carefully. He lifted his gaze at this new information, and looked scared. "It's up to Sheriff Northman to choose the punishment for your disrespect," she turned to Eric, "as long as you don't cause his final death. I need him to keep working on the database."

Eric nodded deeply. "If it pleases your majesty, I would like to remove my wife from the room."

"Go ahead," Sophie-Anne said, waving her hand like we were already boring her.

Eric pulled me away from the room, and I was too shocked to say anything or object. We left the room, passing by two of the hugest men I'd ever seen, ever. Melanie was nearby, keeping guard as well. Eric bent to me. "Please forgive me, Sookie. I cannot bear for you to watch what I have planned for Compton," he said in a very low gruff voice. His fangs started descending and our bond started to fill with rage.

I swallowed the huge lump that had formed in my throat. "Is there any way I can persuade you to show a little mercy?" I asked. It was too late for that, I knew it, but I still had to ask.

"No. This is one too many times. Remember he brought the three vampires to your house, caused me pain, and caused you pain and embarrassment. I cannot show mercy. I have shown enough," he said. His voice had completely slipped into a prolonged growl.

I looked down at my hands and nodded. He was right. I could no longer care for Bill Compton. He'd sealed his own fate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sookie seemed devoid of all emotion, but in reality she was trying to reel them in. It wasn't as easy to read her as I usually did. I brought her face up, to look at me again. "I'm trying to keep you safe," I said.

She looked into my eyes, her own wide with understanding. "I know. Go, get it over with. I wanna go home."

I looked up at Melanie, who was eyeing us, trying to decipher whether I needed her help or not. "Can you keep my wife company for a few minutes?"

"Of course, Sheriff," the small woman said, moving to stand next to Sookie. I knew Sookie would be safe with Melanie, and Wybert and Sigebert were both there as well. I was leaving her in the most capable hands.

Inside the throne room they had already laid out the tarp for Compton, and he was standing on it, studying my every move. I removed my clothing, not wanting to stain it and give Sookie a fright. She'd had enough stress these past two weeks to last her a lifetime. Compton's face was priceless, misunderstanding my actions. Nobody else questioned my nudity. The Queen, Andre, and Mr. Cataliades were mere spectators, witnesses to the punishment. They were also old enough to know why I chose to protect my clothing.

"Bill," I said his name as a question. "What did you do with the photo you had of my wife? What was the purpose of seeing her naked, on your wall, in your bedroom?"

Compton's eyes widened. He wasn't going to answer. I circled around him, imagining everything I could do to him, but choosing the one thing, the only punishment befitting someone like him.

"ANSWER ME!" I screamed in his ear.

"I don't see how that is relevant," he answered. I could have punched him, but I was letting my anger build to serve its ultimate function.

"Why did you have the picture?" I asked again, slowly and in a low voice.

"It's not…"

"Its purpose!"

"It doesn't…"

"What did you do when the picture was hanging on your wall, Bill?" I gave him one more chance.

"I cannot say," he answered.

My ire began to consume me. I took his wrists in my hands and held them up in front of him. "Are you right-handed or left-handed, Bill?"

He didn't answer for too long.

"Mr. Cataliades?" the Queen spoke.

"He's right-handed, Sheriff," Mr. Cataliades answered.

I dropped Bill's left hand and kept the right in my grasp. "Is this the hand that took my wife's picture, printed it and posted it on your wall? Is this the hand that has embarrassed not only her but me as well? Is this the hand you used to masturbate while looking at my wife's naked picture?" I did not raise my voice.

Compton was looking at me directly, his eyes cold and defiant. After what he'd done to us, he still dared to confront me. "I am not sorry. I love Sookie, and I would never defile her body the way you do every night."

All I saw was blood. Red. Rage. Bone. Sinew. I invoked my god Óðinn, but only to help me control my rage and thirst for battle enough not to kill Compton once and for all. I held onto his shoulder and pulled on his upper arm, enjoying the sound of tearing cloth, then ripping muscle, the slime that was Compton's blood as it spilled before me, until finally I held his arm above him as he sank to the floor.

That was nothing compared to the final blow. I bent over Compton's thrashing form, putting my mouth close to his ear and whispering the words he most likely did not want to hear. "Sookie begs for my cock every night, and every night I make love to that tight pussy. And do you know why?" I stood up. "BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO ME!"

I threw the arm on the tarp and walked away, lest I did something else to the motherfucker. Andre was beside me, probably at the behest of Sophie-Anne, pointing me in the direction of a small door at the far end of the room. I was covered in blood, and to my great disappointment it was Compton's unappetizing blood. I hadn't even become aroused with battle lust. I only wanted to clean up, get dressed, and return to my Sookie who must have heard at least some of what had transpired, if her feelings of fear were any indication.

Inside the Queen's bathroom was a small shower, and I made use of it quickly, simply to get the blood off me. Later I would entice Sookie to take a bath with me, so I could _defile_ her inside the warm water.

Compton had been removed from the throne room by the time I returned. Sophie-Anne was signing some papers that Mr. Cataliades was holding for her, and Andre was her ever-present shadow standing behind her chair.

"Sheriff, I'm giving you power of attorney to Bill's business in Bon Temps, as well as his checking account and his… house," the Queen said with disdain. "I only ask that you keep them in good order, though I hardly need to remind you. The more profitable Bill's business is, the more we get in our coffers. Besides, now he owes me money. You're in charge of seeing that I get it back."

This would be the punishment for breaking into Compton's house: to watch over it. The Queen could be conniving when she wanted to. It couldn't be helped, and perhaps if I gave the task to Sookie, she'd think twice about committing another felony regardless of the motive.

I signed whatever papers Mr. Cataliades gave me. They all had to do with transferring power of attorney to me.

"Sheriff, perhaps you can let your wife know that her cousin Miss Delahoussaye has named her sole beneficiary of her estate," Mr. Cataliades said while I was signing papers. I must have looked confused, because the attorney expanded on his statement. "Her Majesty asks that we are all prepared for every eventuality, particularly after what happened during Katrina. We lost many and the estates have remained unclaimed. It is a hassle to fight the human government in probate court."

I understood now. "Thank you, Mr. Cataliades. I will let her know."

"I will come visit you soon with all of Mr. Compton's information and the finalized paperwork," Mr. Cataliades bowed and returned to his Queen's side.

"Eric, go home," Sophie-Anne said. "It strikes me that your wife is a magnet for trouble, and I don't want her lingering in New Orleans. Please keep her safe for my Hadley's and your sakes, but keep her away from me."

With that our meeting ended. I waited until they left to rejoin my bonded. Her fear was no longer there, but she was worried. At this rate she'd end up with no fingernails.

I found her talking to Sigebert and Wybert, in that way she always had of thinking vampires were human. The admirable part of that was that she'd gotten the two lugs to speak. I'd never heard them talk before, not even to Sophie-Anne, since she had the ability to communicate with her children telepathically. But only with her children.

Sookie turned to me without giving away any of her emotions, though I could see she was examining me, as if scared I'd been harmed. I extended my hand, asking silently for hers. I wanted to take her away, give her the honeymoon I'd promised her months before.

"What did you do to Bill?" she whispered as we walked through the courtyard.

"I will tell you everything when we get to our room," I said, anticipating her reaction. It was best to give her bad or shocking news in private, since she became easily embarrassed by her emotions.

She seemed deep in thought as we walked back to our hotel, holding on to my hand with undue strength. "I'd rather you tell me what happened at home," she said finally, once we were inside the elevator.

"Do you want to leave tonight?" I asked her, although I was almost positive of her answer.

"Yes! The sooner the better," she said, walking fast out of the elevator as soon as it opened its doors on the fifteenth floor.

We spent the drive home mostly in silence. She'd shown me what she needed from me during those quiet hours. She took my hand and held it in her lap between her own. That was it. All she needed was my touch. I noticed her stress began to ease once we passed Baton Rouge. By the time we were passing Alexandria I knew she was well and tired.

"Why don't you sleep, my love?" I asked.

"You don't mind?" she asked. Always checking.

"Not at all."

She reclined the seat a few inches and turned to me. I switched the radio station to classical music, since I knew it helped her sleep, and she drifted in only a few minutes.

What had I done? I'd asked myself the same question thousands of times since my memories returned. I'd gone and given Sookie even more to worry about, more burdens to bear, when all I'd ever wanted was to love her and do right by her since nobody else had. Then I'd gone and told her about having children and broken her heart. My only redemption had been that she hadn't been the one who'd had the fantasy, but me. I wanted a life with Sookie, a normal one, with her as my wife and several children running in our backyard. I'd reverted back to my days as human because Sookie saw me that way. I was able to feel again, and I missed the one thing I'd loved the most about being human: my kids. Alas, it was not to be, and Sookie didn't seem to mind, but one day she might.

"Why are you so sad?" Sookie asked in a tiny voice. My reminiscing had invaded her dreams enough to wake her up.

Quickly I self-corrected. "You must have had a bad dream, Svanmeyja," I said, calling her by the name I'd reserved for her, and only her.

"No," she brought her seat up. "You did that once before, your sadness woke me up and you fell asleep crying. Please, Eric, how can I help you if you won't speak?"

"Perhaps we can postpone this conversation until when we get home." I knew she wouldn't drop it, but maybe we could delay it. "Besides, don't you want to know what we'll be doing next week?"

I knew she was looking at me incredulously, wondering about my not-too-subtle change in subject. "Okay, I give. What are we doing next week?"

"Remember I promised you a honeymoon in a nice warm place far away from here?"

She jumped in her seat and her excitement filled the whole car. There! There was my Sookie. "Oh, Eric! Really? Really? Where are we going? Tell me!"

I smiled widely. I loved to give her things, particularly when she didn't object. She was tired, she wanted a break too. "I will tell you when we get there," I said, taking her hand and kissing it.

"Wait! Is Pam going to be envious?" she asked. It really filled me with pride that they got along so well. Here was Sookie again, thinking of others before herself.

"Pam dislikes the warmer climes. When we come back I'll give her a skiing vacation as a present."

"Wouldn't you rather go skiing for our honeymoon?"

I shook my head. There she went again. "No I would not. I like the snow, but I'm not one for skiing. I prefer to swim." Then I thought of something else, something that would seal the deal for her so she'd stop second-guessing her own wish to swim in the ocean and suntan all day. "Wouldn't you love to fly around in my arms, smelling the fragrant scents of the Caribbean, watching the stars from way up high?"

Sookie's face was full of wonder and giddy delight. "Yes!" She clapped her hands and started jumping in her seat again. She stopped. "I'll need new bathing suits…"

"Sookie!"

"What?"

"Relax, will you? We'll order them tonight and have the shipped overnight."

"Okay! No need to yell…" she said, and pulled on the hand that held hers to kiss it.

If only I could buy the rest of her happiness as easily. Once we got home, she got herself a glass of wine, which was the only alcohol we had in the house. She took a few gulps and sat at the counter in the kitchen.

"Alright, give it to me. What happened to Bill?" she asked, pretending I hadn't been the one to make "it" happen.

"I tore his right arm," I said immediately. With Sookie it was best not to drag things out or she would work herself up again.

Her face lost all color, but she seemed to recover somewhat. "How long will it take to grow back?" she asked, making it sound clinical.

"A few months."

"He will hate us," she said. "He might come after me again, or come after you."

Sookie was so young, and there really was no way to explain this properly. "You know how in professional football games the players go at each other with everything they have?" She nodded. "They don't take it personal, do they? At the end of the game they pat each other in the back and go on their way."

She thought about it with a disapproving frown. "Tearing someone's limb off can hardly be compared to a tackle."

"But that is how we do it in my world. Bill knows he was wrong, he knows he deserves his punishment. It is done, and I don't bear him any grudge," I explained. "Of course, it goes both ways. I have to accept that I have exacted payment in full for his indiscretion."

Sookie put her hands up and closed her eyes, stopping anything further that I'd been about to say. "You know what?" She opened her eyes. "I don't ever want to hear his name again."

I didn't agree or disagree with her statement. I'd let her think the subject was dropped and over with for now. When we returned from our honeymoon, she would be very upset with me. That's when she would start taking care of Compton's house.

**TBC**


	39. The Stars Shine for You

**A/N: **Um… I just gotta say one thing: There are some evil people out there amongst y'all. You wanted Eric to dispose of "little Bill" instead of his arm… Gasp! Bunch of meanies! I enjoyed your reviews so much that I read them all twice. I love you ALL!

I also love all of you who have favorited and alerted my story and me as a writer. All I gotta say about that is… Wow!

The girls at Fangreaders(dot)blogspot(dot)com are having me over for an author spotlight. I'll be talking about "Good Fences." It's on Saturday, March 12 at 4pm EST. If any of y'all would like to join us, please visit their website and let them know you want to join their chat room.

* * *

**Chapter 39 – The Stars Shine for You**

"Oh… to be a crab," I mumbled, looking at the little crustacean making it out of a hole. Actually, it was a hermit crab, so was it crustacean at all? "Under the sea… when the sardine begins the beguine it's music to me!" I sang at the little crab. My singing made him move faster away from me. _Hm! Coward!_

I felt almost too lazy. I'd been lying on a shaded hammock for most of the day. I still felt full from the late breakfast I'd made, and I'd been drifting in and out of sleep while reading a book. The soft breeze kept the temperature very comfortable, and the gentle lull of the waves lapping at the beach… let's just say that my husband was spoiling me rotten, and I didn't give a freakin' damn.

It's not like I felt entitled, on the contrary. I'd had several severe issues with everything he'd done in preparation for this vacation. It all started that night we'd come back from New Orleans. He'd completely evaded my question about what had made him so sad, and instead bought me a whole summer wardrobe – bathing suits, cover-ups, pants, shirts, underwear! – from the Victoria's Secret website. He had almost drifted into more expensive bathing suits at other websites (I dunno which one exactly, something about a pearl), but hearing my shrill shrieks probably stopped him. Five hundred and ninety dollars for a bra! Nu-uh!

Then, the sneak that he was, he had Pam make the arrangements for the charter plane from Shreveport to Tortola, and the boat that had brought us to this island… plus the arrangements to rent the island itself. Yes! The WHOLE island! I wasn't stupid, I looked it up. To rent the island for one night was more than an average family from Bon Temps made in a whole year. When I found out I almost went to wake Eric up from his daytime rest. Almost. But honestly, what would I have accomplished by being a bitch about this? Absolutely nothing. It wouldn't have changed Eric's mind, and it would have made both of us miserable for as long as I was upset. By now I knew where the money came from for this particular outing, and it was an account he'd reserved for splurges. It was the account he'd used when he purchased his Corvette before he met me. Now he was using the money on me. What more could a wife ask for from her husband? He put me first, so I put him first.

If I knew anything with utter conviction, I knew this: Eric needed this vacation as much as me, probably more. I didn't bitch, I didn't gripe, I didn't point out the fact that the vacation had cost more than the Corvette, or that he'd been away from work for too long already. He was an adult and didn't need me to be a nag. So, after the initial conniption over the island, I mellowed out and took it in stride. He'd never known about my objections. I'd done it for him.

The sun was setting, and the sunset looked beautiful as I looked to my left. I stood up, took off my brand new cover-up, and walked to the crystal clear water of the Atlantic Ocean. The sand under my feet had cooled, and felt soft as powder under my feet. I'd never been to a beach like this one. I'd seen them in pictures, and couldn't believe that such beauty existed. Yet, here it was.

I sat in the warm shallow water and let the waves kiss me up to my waist. The sea was so calm that the waves would only rise a couple of inches before receding again, one tiny wave after another. I looked to the east to watch the first stars appear in the horizon. Funny. Up until I started dating Eric I'd never cared about the eastern horizon at sunset. It had been a non-event. Nowadays the shining of the first stars was a momentous occasion. It meant Eric was waking. Eric was coming.

Tonight would be our first full night on the island. We had arrived so late the night before, that all we'd had time for was look at our accommodations, shower, make love, and sleep. Tonight would be different. We had so much time to be with each other, alone. Alone. Truly alone. I looked up at the sky and thanked God for the beautiful island He'd placed upon the Earth so that Eric and I could enjoy it. ALONE! There was cell phone service here, and Wi-Fi, but we'd left the cell phones and the computers in Tortola with a friend of Eric's. Pam had strict instructions to not call upon that friend unless it was a true emergency.

I heard a loud splash in the distance, and I knew immediately what had made the noise. I felt giddy, happy, blissful, all those wonderful adjectives that are supposed to go hand in hand with being on a honeymoon. Sure enough, my husband emerged slowly from the very deep. He must have flown out from our cabin up on the cliff that overlooked this beach and into the water. He was coming at me on all fours, wearing nothing but a wicked smile on his lips. He moved slowly, and I began to move backwards, unable to keep my own smile from becoming just as wicked as his. Suddenly, justlikethat, he was on me, pinning me to the sand with his wet hard body.

"Hello, my wife," he purred above me, his eyes roaming all over my face. "How was your day? I see the sun kissed your beautiful face," he said, and the proceeded to kiss me just like the sun had done.

"I only swam a little bit. Then I spent the rest of the day napping on the hammock," I answered breathless. It wasn't so much his kisses, but his hard length pressing and releasing against my thigh that had me about to beg.

"Remember I told you I wanted to make love to you under the stars?" Eric asked, reaching behind me to undo my bikini strings.

"Yeah… I remember like it was yesterday," I breathed. He'd said it to me in Dallas, while we swam in the pool of our hotel.

"How about I get my wish? Hmm?" he asked, pulling on the strings of my bottom.

"Okay," I answered stupidly. It was all I could muster when I felt his hand start a slow caress from under my arm, down the side of my body, brushing against my breast, and stopping at my waist. He liked that area, the way my body dipped in and then rose at my hips.

He asked for my lips, giving me a slow succulent kiss that made my toes curl, the only part of me that was still covered in water. I nipped his lip, feeling a little frisky, and he shook his head pulling away from me.

"No, my love, tonight we're doing this my way. You can have your way tomorrow night," he said, and resumed laying one on me that I would not ever forget. His kiss was so delicious that it had me moaning in pleasure into his mouth.

Eric moved to kiss my whole face tenderly, showing me the physical interpretation of his love. I opened my legs and he moved between them, shifting himself very close to my entrance. When he pressed his hips into me he dipped inside me. Our smooth yet unexpected joining was natural, like we were made for each other. Instead of pulling out, he continued to push in until he buried himself inside me. Without moving his hips he curled over me so he could kiss my breasts, first the left, then the right. My hands did not remain idle, caressing the silky skin and downy hair on his chest. When he moved, I moved my hands too, to tangle my fingers in his wet tresses.

The new movement of his hips was like a grinding. It made my sensitive nub swell and press against his body, and I started getting the telltale thrills that I knew so well. Eric decided to pull out a little and start thrusting. It was a slow thing. He was savoring me. He moved his body up mine and brought his nipple close to my mouth, knowing how much I loved to do to him what he did to me. I closed my mouth around it and sucked, making him moan in pleasure too. He kept his pace in check, taking himself almost fully out and then plunging back inside me slowly, deliberately, enjoying the feeling of warmth from my body as it enveloped his little by little.

"Eric…"

"Svanmeyja," he whispered against my temple. He'd begun his kissing campaign anew.

"I love you, Eric."

"I love you too, my dear one."

I focused on his face, so lovely and beautiful under the stars above us. He'd said he would make love to me, and that was exactly what he did. But he was driving me insane with want. "I need you," I said, hoping he'd get with my program and abandon his.

"That's why I'm here," he said, and started moving a little faster. I sighed in relief, though we encountered an unexpected problem. The sand under me didn't give like a bed would, and even though it was powdery soft, it was still sand. "Wrap your legs around me," Eric ordered, and I did.

Eric had a way of surprising the heck out of me once in a while. The moment my legs and arms were securely wrapped around him he levitated. He righted us and flew us over the water a little bit, descending into it with nary a splash or sound. The whole time he had remained inside me.

"You're good," I said, looking into his face, which now bore a smug smile.

"I know," he said and began kissing me again as he moved me on him.

The new angle afforded me another beautiful view. Besides the face of my beautiful Viking, I was able to appreciate the moon, large and low on the horizon. It was the only source of light on the island, other than Eric's faintly luminous skin. The whole setting was incredibly romantic. In a word: perfect.

We made love in the water leisurely. He'd been right, as usual. Making love slowly was exactly what I wanted too. I kissed his neck and his shoulders, his jaw and his cheeks. I caressed his hair and his chest. He would kiss me wherever he could reach as I moved over him. I don't know how long we enjoyed each other this way before our passion ignited. Finally he couldn't hold himself back from taking me, claiming me, and I wanted nothing more than to be taken. His strokes became greedier, harder.

"Eric! Yes!" I held onto his shoulders but my head lolled back and to the side in ecstasy. He took advantage and bit my neck, pulling hungrily on my skin. I screamed and shook, wracked by emotions and feelings so great that I was sure that I left Earth completely. What else would explain the stars so close to my eyes?

Eric growled and snarled and shook just like me. His need satisfied, he hugged me tight, and I hugged him right back. My very own husband, mine to love, loving me back just as fiercely. He tucked my head under his chin, and walked out of the water, with me still wrapped around him.

I felt as Eric sat on the hammock and laid us down. He was my giant pillow. I would have closed my eyes to drift into another nap, but for one thing. I heard a soft murmur coming from his chest. He was speaking… or singing. I wasn't sure. It was too low for me to make out words, and it didn't sound like his usual humming.

"Honey, did you say something?" I asked, caressing his side.

He wiggled a little bit and chuckled. "You tickled me."

I liked to see him happy, but I also wanted to know why he was so sad sometimes. Maybe now, without interruptions and alone, he'd tell me. "I didn't mean to tickle you. Eric…?"

"Yes, dear one?"

"Why are you so sad sometimes?"

His feelings filled with sadness again, but this time they were laced with some of his determination. Maybe this time he'd tell me everything. He took a deep breath, then another, lifting my whole body up as he did so. I put my chin on his chest, so I could look at him and give him my undivided attention. He brought his left hand to my face, running his fingers from my temple to my jaw.

"I love you, Sookie. I've never loved anybody like I love you. But six people came close…" he drifted, examining my expression.

It didn't take me long to understand. "Your children?"

He nodded. "Ákimann, Eldgrímr, Geirný, Gísmundr, Ingimárr, and Signý. My wife, Sóma, died giving birth to Signý. The baby girl died soon thereafter, and I had to bury both. My son Eldgrímr had died a year or so before of a fever."

I tried, in vain, to keep my emotions in check. They were raging within me, a tempest of sadness so great that I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted to hear Eric's story, to ease some of his burden, but at the same time I felt like my insides were being ripped apart. Maybe it was his pain within me. Any woman worth her salt did what she had to do. I had to listen, so I bit the inside of my cheek and held on for this torturous ride.

"I only had three boys and one girl left when I went to arrange my marriage to another woman. She was young, also a widow. She had never had children, so she was a good candidate to take care of my own. On my way home from visiting her family I saw a man lying motionless on the side of the road. I was drunk, or I wouldn't have bothered to check on him until the morning…"

"Not a man, then," I interrupted.

"No, not a man. Appius Livius Ocella. He drank from me, taking my life into him then told me that if I wanted to live, I had to drink from him. I wanted to live, so I drank until I died." He stopped talking. I felt my stomach do that awful sinking as he remembered more of what happened, but he didn't speak, and I didn't want to push.

"I'm… I'm so sorry…" I whispered. I didn't know what else to say.

"Sookie," he said my name with a hint of exasperation in his tone. "Why in the world are you apologizing for something that someone else did and that happened so long ago?"

I shrugged. "Because if I could, I would change it for you. I would let you live your life to its rightful conclusion with your children by your side."

Eric looked at me intently. I couldn't see the color of his eyes in the darkness, but I could certainly read his expression. _He_ didn't feel sorry. "After the first few years I grew to like my new life. I've been quite content, actually, for a long time. And nowadays I'm ecstatic to have found my perfect other half in you." He smiled a sad smile. "I really want to have it all with you. I can give you everything money can buy, but not a family."

I sighed. I found myself sighing a lot around him. "We already spoke about this."

Eric nodded and pulled me up, so that he could kiss me. "I can dream, can't I?" he asked.

"Yes, yes you can," I said with a sad smile of my own. He could dream. Sure, loving somebody like this was new to me, but I wasn't clueless. If this is what he needed, a little dream, then I'd be here for him, to listen.

"Whenever we make love, I pray for a miracle. I pray to Freyja for fertility. For my fertility. I want to see your belly big with my baby," he moved his hand down to my waist, since I was laying on him face down. "I can tell you things. You took care of me at my most vulnerable. You love me like I love you. Wanting a child with you should not feel like the wrong thing to want."

"It isn't," I said immediately.

He was silent for a long moment. "You are hungry, Sookie."

"Yes I am. How do you do that? I don't even feel it until you say it," I giggled. Our serious talk was over for now. I was sad, but okay. I understood everything so much better now. All we'd needed was some understanding. Now we had it. Easy.

"Do you want to fly up? Or walk up?" Eric asked as I moved off him to stand up.

"I have to pick up my things. My bikini is… where is my bikini?" I looked towards the general direction of the water but couldn't see anything in the dark.

"Don't worry about it. The lizards won't bother it," Eric chuckled, and in one swift motion scooped me up and flew us back to the cabin.

Calling it a cabin felt… off. It was more like a Caribbean lodge, if there was such a thing. It had high ceilings like a lodge, anyway, with wood, bamboo, and stone accents. Everything inside it was luxurious, and comfortable, and soft, and colorful. The kitchen was completely stocked, and if we needed anything there was a phone number we could call from a private line. They had left tons of True Blood as well, much more than Eric would need.

Eric flew us to the balcony adjoining our bedroom. All the doors were open now, but during the day every opening to the outside had been covered by automatic roll-up shutters. The only drawback had been the heat. Eric didn't sweat and wasn't bothered by it, and now that the windows and door were open the breeze was comfortably cool. But I had woken up in the middle of the day feeling uncomfortably hot. There was no air conditioning anywhere on the island.

I started turning on ceiling fans as we walked inside the room. Eric had turned on the light for my benefit, and I proceeded to don another of Eric's purchases. It was a simple satin slip in white… since it was our honeymoon… I was far from virginal, but since I was still making love to the same guy I'd given my virginity to, I guess it counted.

"What would you like for dinner?" Eric asked, putting up a pair of boxers… in red.

I shook my head as I watched him get dressed. "Eric," there was a subtly warning in my voice. "I will tell you what I'm having for dinner as I cook it."

I walked to the kitchen with Eric following close behind. He really felt determined to cook dinner. "Won't you at least teach me? You know I can make cookies now. Sookie's cookies, remember?"

I giggled. "Of course I remember," I said, putting my hands on my hips and eyeing him. He imitated my movement and I laughed. "Fine, but you follow my instructions to the letter, okay?"

"Of course," he said, and stuck his head in the fridge. "How about a steak? There's one in here."

Knowing him, I'd need the extra iron to survive the week. "Okay," I said, looking for the right pan. They had left a cast iron pan in one of the cupboards. It looked brand new, but it would do the job. Eric turned on a burner like he'd seen me do before at my own house, and I set the pan on it.

I taught him how to cook me a steak while I put together a baby spinach salad. He even served me a little bit of wine when it was time for me to eat. He sat across from me and watched me eat. I was used to it, for sure, but jeez!

"I like it when you eat well. Your blood tastes better," he commented.

"I'll keep it in mind. I've always thought I was a pretty good eater," I said, a little peeved.

"Sookie, why are you twisting my words? I meant when you eat regularly and eat nutritiously. And you already know I like it when you drink coffee."

This conversation was taking a mighty twisty turn. "Um… Honey… You do understand that we're talking about the fact that I'm your food source, like a cow would be to me. Can we drop the subject?"

"You could never love a cow like I love you," he smirked.

"Actually, I'm feeling like making love to this steak right now. It came out really good. Thank you, sweetie," I said, and put another bite in my mouth. I wasn't even saying it for his benefit. It really did come out good.

"My pleasure. What do you want to do next?"

"How about a leisurely stroll down to the beach? I'll need to digest. That will help," I suggested. I was really looking forward to sinking my feet in the sand again. Maybe, once I'd finished digesting, we could swim in the water for a little bit.

"I have a gift for you," he confessed, eyeing me carefully.

I rolled my eyes. "I will accept it graciously," I said, because I knew I had no choice.

"Dear one, all this is your morning gift, the one I forgot after we married," he said standing up. "I'll be right back."

When he returned he was holding a large blue velvet box. It looked like it would contain jewelry. I cringed, but only mentally. God only knew how much he'd spent on _this_ gift. Without a word he opened the box.

I gasped. "These were not for me, they were for you," I said, running my fingers over the stones. They were Freyja's stones, amber and jet, the same ones Octavia had used while lifting Eric's curse. The amber stones were larger than the jet, so they were centered on the necklace, with the jet stones at either side tapering off into the gold clasp.

"You deserve their protection more than me. Please, Sookie, will you wear them?" Eric stood looking at me without moving.

"Yes," I answered simply.

Eric put the necklace on me, and immediately something happened, similar to Claudine's blue glow when she was making my brooch into an amulet. Had I made the necklace into an amulet? I hadn't meant to. I wouldn't even know where to begin, even if I – by some strange reason - possessed that kind of power. Maybe it was something Octavia had done to them. I looked up at Eric who looked just as surprised as me.

**TBC… *****Runs away giggling*******

**A/N: Oh, and by the way, the kids are staying on Necker Island. If you'd like to check it out it's www(dot)neckerisland(dot)virgin(dot)com. It's owned by Richard Branson, and yes… you can rent the whole island, but I'm not sure if you can boot the whole staff off it.**


	40. Blue Light Special

**A/N: **Lemon meringue pie, anyone? :-D

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**Chapter 40 – Blue Light Special**

_Eric put the necklace on me, and immediately something happened, similar to Claudine's blue glow when she was making my brooch into an amulet. Had I made the necklace into an amulet? I hadn't meant to. I wouldn't even know where to begin, even if I – by some strange reason- possessed that kind of power. Maybe it was something Octavia had done to them. I looked up at Eric who looked just as surprised as me._

"Did you do that?" Eric asked, truly astonished.

"No! I can't even make a candy bar appear!" I answered, fingering the stones at my neck. "I saw Claudine do something similar when she made my brooch into an amulet," I said in a lower voice, looking up at Eric. "Eric, I told you these are not my stones. They're for your protection, not mine." I was a little scared. What if we had enraged the goddess?

He rearranged his features and looked almost mad. "I want you to have them. You need protection more than me. I had them set into a necklace for you."

I took a deep breath and felt my eyebrows knitting together as I thought about all the possibilities. Besides enraging Eric's goddess, it could have been something simple, like a spell imbued into the stones by Octavia. Or maybe the stones' witch magic had reacted with my fairy amulet… but I didn't have the amulet on. It wasn't even on the island.

"Do you feel different?" Eric asked, moving to sit beside me on the table. He leaned towards me and touched the necklace, brushing his fingers over my neck.

"No," I said, watching as the blue light started to ignite again at his touch. He withdrew his hand quickly and the light faded. He touched it again and the light returned. "Great, now I'm a blue light special," I mumbled, reaching back and undoing the clasp. He didn't get the joke. Just as well.

The necklace fell into Eric's waiting hand, and the light faded. "It only glows when we're both touching it."

"Is it touching _it_, or touching each other _and_ it?" I asked. I put my hand on his knee and answered my own question. It was when we both touched each other and one of us was holding the stones… or wearing them, in my case.

"We'll have to ask the witch when we return," Eric said, and put the necklace back on my neck. "Let's see what happens the longer we touch."

He took my hands in his. We were sitting facing each other now, and I was shaking my knee a little nervous. I wasn't sure what to expect.

The blue glow began to spread from my necklace, up past my face and down my body, expanding slowly to include Eric. It truly looked like a giant version of what Claudine had done to my brooch, nothing more; a blue cocoon, if you will. I didn't feel any warmer or cooler, nothing weird like electricity or a shock, no strange smells or feelings… other than feeling like I wanted to jump my husband's bones that very moment… but I felt normal.

Apparently the jumping-the-bones thing hadn't been only my thing. Eric started looking positively needy. His lust barreled into me at the same time that his eyes dilated and his fangs descended. Without a word he pulled me to our bedroom. He didn't bother taking off my slip or his boxers, or checking to see if I was ready. He knew I was ready and simply took me. Hard.

I gasped at the sudden invasion, but it felt too good. After all, I'd wanted him too just as badly. He moved inside me with purpose, and I held him tight against me, wasting very little time in reaching our mutual sweet moment. It was all over in a matter of minutes.

We lied on our bed quiet for a long time, sated and confused. "Did the necklace make us do that?" I asked when the silence got too loud.

"I was wondering the same thing," Eric confessed. "And I haven't come up with a ready answer."

I nodded. I had no ready answer either. "Maybe I shouldn't wear it until we find out what… I mean more about it," I said, taking it off and setting it on a bedside table.

"Agreed." He brought his gaze up to mine. "Did I hurt you?"

"No, honey. I would have told you."

"Sometimes I wonder if you would indeed tell me if I hurt you."

"I'm not a fan of pain," I said and smiled.

The night was still young, and way too beautiful to waste it indoors, so we dressed and went back to the kitchen, to clean up. In the island, with all the windows open as they were, one couldn't leave dirty dishes or food lying around for fear of bugs. Eric offered to wash the pan after I'd washed the dishes, and I let him. Cast iron pans are heavy, and besides, I wanted dessert. There was some fresh pineapple already cut into thick slices, so I grabbed a couple of slices and ate them with relish over the sink. They were juicy.

"You are so sexy," Eric breathed, watching me make a mess of the pineapple slices. I left nothing but the thick center.

"I feel like I need a shower with a high-pressure washer," I bemoaned. "Between the beach, the sex, and now the pineapple juice… I'm all crusty."

"We'll bathe later. We might go swimming again," he said with a smile and licked his lips. "I want a kiss," he said, grabbing my waist and bringing me close.

I puckered up, and he smiled wider. Instead of kissing me, he decided to run his teeth over my jaw, and then over my earlobe. My lips relaxed from a pucker into a soft smile and he took advantage to ply mine with his. He ran his tongue over that little indentation between my lip and my chin, probably tasting pineapple on my skin. Then the taste of my skin wasn't enough, and his tongue went in search of mine.

"Tart but sweet, yes?" he spoke into my mouth.

"Uh-huh," I agreed. He could taste things by tasting my saliva, and as long as it wasn't garlic, he liked most of the things I ate. Garlic was too pungent, he'd said. He wasn't allergic per se, but it lingered in my blood and my skin for a long time, and it became uncomfortable for him.

So far, he seemed to like pineapple just fine. I was returning his kiss just as fervently when he pulled away suddenly. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said smiling, and turned back to the fridge. All the fruits they'd left us (well, me, actually) were in the fridge to keep them safe from bugs. Eric pulled out a mango. "What does this taste like?" I didn't think he knew the name. After all, how many times did he stroll down the fruits & veggies section of a grocery store?

"That's a mango. They're mostly sweet as long as they're ripe."

"This?"

"A kiwi, honey. They're tart."

"Strawberry?"

"You really need to ask?"

"Sookie… play along."

"More sweet than tart. They go well with kiwis."

"Grapes?"

"They could be sour if they're not in season. Otherwise sweet, but the skin can be tart."

He plucked a grape from the bunch, bringing the bunch with him and letting the fridge door close. I let him pop it in my mouth. He was watching closely as I chewed.

"These are sweet," I declared. I didn't expect sour grapes at this place. He fed me a few more, kissing me in between each one.

"I like feeding you. You look sexy when you eat," he said. We'd actually made it out of our cabin and were now descending the steps that would lead us to the beach.

"Same here," I said, returning the compliment and meaning it from the bottom of my heart.

"Same here what?" he asked. If I'd been able to see him I'd have seen a glint in his eye. He was going to make me say it.

I shrugged. "Same here," I repeated, knowing it wouldn't be this easy.

He stopped where he stood at the bottom of the steps and crossed his arms over his chest. "You hurt me Sookie." I think he pouted.

I turned back to him and climbed up one step, so I could look into his eyes from a better angle. "I _love_ feeding you," I put my arms around his neck. "And I have no idea what you look like when you eat because usually we're in the midst of some very deep," I kissed his nose, "hot," I kissed the corner of his mouth, "wild," I kissed the other corner, "passionate," I kissed his chin, "sex."

Eric growled deep inside his chest. "I can't take you again," he said, threading his arms around my waist and pulling me close.

"Why not?" I asked, although I did feel raw "down there." Between having sex in the water and then the roughness of the last session, I was very much aware of all my lady parts.

Eric arched an eyebrow. He always knew when I needed a little rest. Maybe he could smell it. "Surely there's more to our relationship than sex."

"I honestly never thought a man would ever utter those words," I said smiling.

He smiled with me and gave a chaste kiss. "I'm not a man."

"You're a vampire that happens to be male," I said, remembering the first time I had tried to classify him. He'd just walked into Merlotte's and shocked the heck out of me, with his luminous skin and outrageously good looks.

Eric chuckled and picked me up. He took to the sky with me in his arms. Instead of going to the beach, he ventured over the dark expanse of flora over the center of the island, traveling south. In the distance I could make out the lights from the island of Tortola. They shimmered on the water, announcing civilization was nearby, but still too far to touch us. Eric settled us on the beach on this side of the island. It was different than the one up north. It must have been deeper, because the waves lacked that gentle lull. They were breaking against the beach. We sat to admire the scene. He positioned me between his legs, to use him as a backrest.

"I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying this," I said in a quiet voice. I didn't want to disrupt the perfect sounds of the night.

"Are you happy, Sookie?"

"I am beyond happy. There are no words," I confessed, sinking into him. If I didn't have it all… loving husband, beautiful honeymoon… I could forget whatever was waiting for us at home.

"Blissful… whenever you're near," Eric whispered in my ear. He held me tight against him. I felt that slow revolving door of love and lust that told me all was well in Eric's world. He definitely needed this vacation too.

Eric began describing the constellations as his people saw them. He told me the moon was very nearly full, but not quite. He'd called it a waxing gibbous moon. In two more days all the shifters back home would be running wild. I felt a pang of guilt remembering Sam, but it couldn't be helped. I swiftly put all those thoughts away and refocused on the now.

We lied on the soft sand side by side. I held Eric's hand while he tried his best to make me laugh. He knew every kind of joke there was, but that wasn't what he was doing. He was telling me funny stories, things he'd gone through in his long existence. Like the time he'd taken an ESL class in the seventies, to get acquainted with the new lingo, mostly. Pam, being English and from a wealthy background, had taught him proper English soon after being turned. But they were both stumped and the seventies caught them by surprise.

"I never liked the hippies," he confessed. "They were too mellow."

I laughed imagining Eric's face if someone had asked him to sing Kumbaya, or else flashed him the peace sign. By his own admission, he was a more "rock & roll" type of guy.

"Once that craziness was over," he continued, "freakin' disco took over and I nearly called it quits and returned to my Mother Land… except the biggest freaks came from there."

I gasped in mock shock. "Don't tell me you don't like ABBA! They're legendary!" I tried to hold it in, but my laughter burst through. The funniest part was I _knew_ he had enjoyed the movie _Mamma Mia_. Maybe it was because of the young actress in it. She did look a little bit like me, but sang better. Or maybe he just liked any movies with Swedish actors in it, like the actor that looked like Eric if Eric were twenty five years older.

I was able to contain my laughter after a few moments. Eric was peaceful beside me, just holding my right hand with his left and letting me caress the ring on his finger. He never took it off. He didn't mind that I took mine off with the rest of my jewelry, and put it back on whenever I was heading out. _He_ never took his off.

"There has been talk about allowing humans and vampires to marry in Vermont," he said, apropos of nothing, though maybe my caressing his ring had brought the subject up in his mind.

"Really? I didn't hear anything," I said. He knew I didn't like to watch the news, so sometimes he had to catch me up. At the very least he wasn't a sensationalist reporter.

"They're trying to make the bill pass. If the bill passes there, then other states might follow suit," he said, turning his face to look at me.

I turned to look at him too. "Do you think Louisiana…?"

"Maybe," he said when I didn't finish my question. "But even if they don't, would you like to marry me the right way?"

I blinked. "Of course." That was the mother of stupid questions. We were on our _honeymoon_! "Eric… I know there's no piece of paper declaring us married, but I'm your wife and you're my husband. I don't see you as anything else."

"I know, my love. Perhaps it would be easier for you to explain our relationship to other humans if we could honestly say we're married, and have that piece of paper," he pointed out.

"True. I don't want you to think I would marry you for the ease of the convenience of being able to say I'm your wife legally," I shook my head at my own convoluted sentence. "I'm married to you already. I'd marry you again, even in a heartbeat, just like last time. But maybe next time we can plan it properly and let Pam go nuts with the preparations."

Eric chuckled. "She would too." He sat up and pulled me with him. He looked at me for a long moment, and I found myself unable to look away. It was as if we could read each other's minds. We met halfway for a slow kiss.

As per usual, I fell in love and was in awe of this creature that always saw more in me than I dared to see in myself. I was so happy he'd come back to me, or his mind, rather. I'd been willing to stay with him regardless, but this, _this_ was better. The way we understood each other so thoroughly could never have happened if he'd been missing the memories of his fifty lifetimes. I would have missed his reminiscences. They were an important part of him, what had made our second date so special to me: getting to know him.

"Swim time," he announced, suddenly on his feet. The romantic part of the evening was over. Now it was time to play. He took off his shirt and helped me with the cover-up, enjoying the view of the new bikini I was wearing, before giving me a wide smile and running away into the surf.

"I'm a little scared of the waves," I called out. I knew he could hear me. During the day I might have attempted getting in, even with the heavier surf. But at night…

"Oh, come," he returned to me super vampire fast, and crouched in front of me, giving me his back to cling to. When I was securely wrapped around him he ran us right back into the water, splashing everywhere, and hollering something about Vikings being rulers of the sea. I'd believe it.

Once again we were giddy, enjoying each other thoroughly, with nothing to fear and nothing to worry about. He swam just below the water with me on his back, like he'd done in Dallas. It was like being attached to a dolphin. When he'd had enough of that he swung me around and we hugged each other, bobbing up and down on the waves. The movement was soothing.

"What will you do tomorrow while I sleep?" he asked me, pushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear.

"Probably the same thing I did today. I really enjoyed doing absolutely nothing. Not only did I enjoy doing nothing, I enjoyed knowing that I have nothing to do: no chores, no work, and no errands. It was perfect," I answered.

Eric smiled. It looked wicked. "We could try making love," he offered.

I was confused. "While you're asleep?" I asked. I knew sometimes, while he slept, he looked ready. But still… that was kind of… "Kinky."

"Yes, kinky. You'd have complete control over me, and I would have the most pleasant dreams."

"Isn't that like raping you?" I didn't think it was, particularly since he'd been the one to suggest it, but I had to ask.

"Not if I give you permission. That is, if you want to and if you find that I'm… in the mood," he smiled wider. The talk of sex was having the intended effect on him. And on me too, if I was being honest.

"I won't say yes, but I won't say no. We'll see, okay?" I said; he was already flying up and back to the beach.

"Okay, love of my life," he agreed, setting me down on the sand gingerly. We retrieved our things, and he flew us back to our cabin. "Bath in our balcony, or shower in luxury?" He pointed at the claw foot tub perched on a corner of our balcony, and then pointed to the inside of our bedroom, where the most ginormous shower I'd ever seen awaited us once again. We'd used it the night before. It had been something else.

"Ginormous shower, please," I said, walking away to the bathroom inside our bedroom.

Whoever thought up the shower had been a genius. It had a "his" and "hers" side, so we could both take a shower at the same time without having to share, yet still be close enough to be able to enjoy each other. It had a bench that ran the full length, from my side to his. The whole thing was recessed, so there was no need for a shower curtain or doors. Eric had already said he might have one built for us in each of our homes… to which I'd said nothing because… I really, _really_ wanted one too. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to encourage that kind of spending.

Just like the night before I was mesmerized watching my darling husband bathing. It was different from when I washed him. There was something intimate and almost naughty in watching how he took care of his own body… the way he ran his large hands over his expansive chest; the way he touched and soaped his (hard) length; the way he turned so I could watch as he… Oh, that butt! And, of course, he could take my stares as well as give them. His looks were positively ravenous.

"Oh, Sookie, do that again," he purred from the other side of the shower.

I wasn't sure what he was talking about, but from the looks of him, it had been something sexy. "What did I do?" I asked for clarification. Plus, I wanted to make him say it.

"Touch yourself again," he said. By now _he_ was touching his own self.

I remembered what I had done to bring forth the hungry stare I was getting from Eric. I let my soapy hand roam south again, to tease my nub. Before, it had been nothing more than an automatic motion to clean the area. Now, it was a deliberate teasing of not only my body, but his as well, even from a few feet apart.

"Do you like that, Sookie? Do you like me to see you pleasuring yourself?" His voice was starting to take that growling quality it had whenever he became seriously aroused.

"Yes," I said, not being very good at the word play. Hey! He was my first love!

"Can you make yourself come? I want to see you come, Sookie," he said, stroking his length leisurely.

I felt my whole body heat up at his words. God! I would do anything for this man, wouldn't I? I sat on the corner of the bench and spread my legs to face him, never taking my eyes off his. I hadn't needed the pleasure of a self-release in many months, but it wasn't something I could easily forget. I gave Eric what I hoped was a show. Watching him was all the encouragement I needed, and watching him watching me was an incredible turn on. I felt my heart doing somersaults inside my chest every time I sent a sweet thrill through my body. As I brought on my own orgasm I called to him. He was immediately beside me, watching me as my whole body shook and settled.

Still kneeling by my side and touching his own erection, he pricked the middle finger of his free hand with one of his fangs, and dipped it inside me. He was healing the little bit of damage that had made me raw earlier. Even when we were both in the midst of a wild bout of lovemaking, he needed to make sure I was safe. He needed to take care of me.

As soon as his blood healed me, he flipped me around. I had one knee on the bench, the other leg holding the rest of my weight on the shower floor. Eric got in the same position behind me and entered me. It wasn't the lovemaking from earlier that night, or the wild mating later. This was passion, pleasure, pure and simple. This was two people who loved each other to the depths of forever, needing to show each other that forever meant some really good sex.

Eric started grunting, a low and savage noise that told me he was ready to be fed. I wanted nothing more than to feed him. He was inside me, and I wanted to be inside him too. He pulled me up and in one swift move sank his fangs into my shoulder. My beautiful Viking took me with him into the oblivion of our shared ecstasy.

**TBC**


	41. Rain, Rain, It's Okay

**A/N: **For my wonderful, beautiful, amazing readers that helped me get 1000+ reviews, I wrote a little snippet called "Eric Reads _Twilight_." Some of you have read it already (thanks!). But if you haven't, please check it out. It's based on AAD, sorta, kinda. You can follow the link from my profile.

Just a quick reminder: you guys give me most of my great ideas. Y'all never know when I read something on a review that gets my mind to start working on overtime, and y'all reap the benefits. I am always thankful and humbled by your reviews, and also by those who add any of my stories or me as an author to their favorites and alerts… *sniff* I love you ALL!

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**Chapter 41 – Rain, Rain, It's Okay**

Eric brushed my hair with gentle fingers. His emotions had once again settled, and he was feeling very loving. So was I, actually. No wonder newlyweds went on honeymoons. In one night we'd had such fantastic and meaningful times together, that I knew they would have been hard to duplicate during the day-to-day back at home. We'd needed this time alone to cement our relationship. The place wouldn't have mattered. Not really. Not that I was going to tell Eric that. Maybe we could go on vacations to the Caribbean more often.

I felt a soft peck on my shoulder, signaling the end of Eric's task. It was my turn. He sat at the vanity so I could reach, and I began brushing his hair in the same gentle rhythm he'd used while brushing mine. His eyes were closed. He loved it when I brushed his hair. It was a simple ritual we had developed. I was sure eventually we'd develop many more and become an old married couple. I didn't like to think too much about that, because I would truly be old, while he would always look young and beautiful. Honestly, I didn't know who had it the worst: him having to look at his never-changing features forever, or me having to watch time take its toll on my features and body.

"My love, you're thinking mighty hard," he said, interrupting my thoughts. He'd opened his eyes and was looking at me in the mirror.

I smiled. He'd caught me being serious. "I was just thinking about our small ritual," I said, waving the brush before returning to the task at hand. He had a knot, and even though it was nearly impossible to pull the hair out of his head, I still didn't like to pull too hard and hurt him.

"This is very pleasant…" his voice drifted. It was close to dawn and he'd been relaxed. "Sharing the nights with you…"

I finished with his hair and felt the pull of the bed too. I moved his hair aside and kissed the nape of his neck, making him rumble in appreciation. We walked hand in hand to bed, snuggling under the soft cotton sheets. He lied on his back, and I curled up half on top of him, with my head on his chest. That is how we both fell asleep at the beginning of that day.

My dreams were pleasant, and I expected them to be. The little hermit crab that had run away from me the day before began to sing with me instead and brought his little crab friends to sing along. You really can't beat a dream like that. I half woke up and turned to another position, deciding I was still too sleepy to wake up fully and closing my eyes again.

The next dream featured the pretty red-haired woman that I pictured when I thought of my guardian angel. She told me to accept the necklace that Eric had given me, because it was full of his love. I told her that I knew that, that I loved him too, but that we were both scared about what had happened.

"Not fear, love. Not danger, protection," she said, and then my dream morphed into memories of my day.

I woke up but didn't open my eyes, knowing that if I did I would lose the dream. I wanted to commit the whole dream to memory. It wasn't as if I had very pleasant dreams often, so when I did I wanted to remember them. I particularly liked the wishful-thinking dreams that starred my husband. Those were always extremely pleasant to remember later.

My stomach rumbled and my bladder kicked me. It was time to start my day. I made a hearty breakfast, taking the time to cut onions and peppers into perfect little squares, mixing them into a fluffy omelet along with ham and cheese. I cut up some kiwis and strawberries, and tossed them with grapes for a quick fruit salad. I was spoiling myself. The coffee was delicious too. It was well past two in the afternoon when I finally sat down to have breakfast. My hours had gotten changed, but at least I'd had a very pleasant eight hours of sleep, and there was still plenty of sun left to enjoy.

I grabbed my book and a towel and went back to the beach. I found my bikini by pure luck. It was about to be washed away, but because the surf was so mild, it had remained floating nearby. I retrieved it and made a mental note to tell Eric to throw my clothes further inland next time. And since I was already in the water, I decided to just stay. I was too full to swim, so I floated on my back for a little bit. It was times like these that I felt a little lonely.

Loneliness and telepathic abilities usually went hand in hand for me. There was nobody to talk to about the horrible things I saw, mostly because the things I saw were supposed to have been secrets. I sighed. I was used to being alone. At least Eric was nearby, and would have been even nearer if he could have been.

Eric's suggestion entered my thoughts. I remembered the look of pure mischief when he suggested I make love to him while he was asleep. Could I do it, though? I bit my lip and closed my eyes, remembering the times I'd been on top making love to him. But he'd been awake and enjoying every second of it. This was different. I'd be using him to my own advantage… with his full permission.

I'd think about it, I told myself. If I didn't do it today I still had the rest of the week to take advantage of my sleeping husband. Besides, I wanted to be next to him when he woke up tonight. It wasn't often that I had the opportunity to do that back home.

The rest of my short day was lazily spent on the hammock. I finished my book and then I headed back to the cabin in search of another. I noticed that it was nearly five and Eric would wake up in about an hour. I abandoned the idea of the book and took a quick shower to wash the salt and brine off me, and then resolved to lie next to Eric to wait for him to wake up.

Obviously he hadn't moved since he'd fallen asleep, so he looked as if he was missing me. His arm had fallen off me when I'd rearranged my position in bed, so it was sprawled on my side of the bed. His other arm had been resting on my shoulder, so now it was resting on his chest in my absence. He had tucked my head under his chin, and now he was turned looking towards my side. I tucked myself against him, in my rightful place, warming his cool skin with mine. I weaved my fingers into his, taking my time to savor just that. His hand was much bigger than mine. After getting to know him better, I noticed that he had been turned with working man's hands. They were thick and strong, not slender.

I kissed the palm of his hand, feeling a sudden urge to kiss him everywhere. I knelt beside him and leaned over to land soft kisses on his face, the same kind of kisses he'd given me the day before and I hadn't been able to return. I kissed his temple, his cheek, the side of his nose. I kissed his jaw, his neck, his earlobe. I pulled away a little bit to just look at him. My opinion of his beauty hadn't changed. He was still the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. I ran my fingers over the slight rise of his Adam's apple, and over the slight indentation of his throat. I kissed him there too.

Eric's skin was always a source of envy. The softness of the downy golden hair on his chest was only rivaled by his skin. I ran my hand over his chest, following the hill up to his shoulder then down his arm. I leaned down once more to kiss his lips, chuckling because _he_ was my very own Sleeping Beauty.

Sleeping Beauty or not, my kiss didn't wake him, so instead I continued my exploration and adoration. It should have been sinful to love touching him as much as I did. I loved the person he was, for sure, but that person came inside an incredible package. _How shallow of me_, I thought and smiled wickedly, biting my lower lip.

I continued running my hands over his torso, caressing him and wondering if he could feel it at all. I followed the diagonal line of his hips and had the answer to my question. His gracious plenty was saluting me as it liked to do. I ran one finger softly over the silky soft veined skin, watching mesmerized as a little droplet of fluid formed on the head, quivered, and slid down the length.

"You _can_ feel me, can't you?" I said to Eric in a quiet voice. "Do you want me to take you and make you mine, hmm?" I whispered in his ear, stretching my arm so I could keep touching. I stopped touching him to check myself, finding that I was just as aroused as I suspected.

I thought about it briefly. If I could make it last, Eric would wake up with me making love to him. He'd be ecstatic. I shrugged to myself. Why not? I gathered my courage and straddled him, guiding him inside me and moaning in spite of myself.

I began a gentle movement, watching him sleeping as I made love to him. There was no reason for me to remain upright, so I laid on top of his chest, rubbing my whole body against his. Even though he was just acting as my giant dildo, I really hoped that he could feel some of it. I hoped he hadn't been lying when he said he'd dream about it. I didn't want to be the only one enjoying this.

It felt odd in a nice way. My body's pleasure was muted because I wasn't feeling him through our bond. I'd become used to sharing our lust and our love when we were joined. I guessed I wasn't kinky enough to take full advantage of the situation. I continued the slow movement, savoring his body, but I wasn't as turned on as I thought I would be.

Then I remembered that the necklace had made me horny as nothing else. It was still resting on the bedside table where I'd left it the day before. I remembered my dream… "Not fear, love," the angel had said. I reached for the necklace and clasped it around my neck. I sat back up and watched as the blue light enveloped both our bodies. Just like magic, that strong lust overwhelmed me. I needed Eric. I needed him badly.

My heart began beating like a jackhammer in my chest as I started moving faster, using my hands on his stomach as leverage. I closed my eyes imagining all those wonderful times we'd had together, each just as amazing as the next. I panted Eric's name, willing him to wake up and join me. He felt so good, he was so hard, and I was so wet for him.

Finally I felt his hands move over my thighs. I opened my eyes to find him grinning up at me. I'd been so lost in my own pleasure that I hadn't noticed when Eric woke up.

"What are you doing, wife?" he asked from the top of the bed. His thumb made his way to my little nub, to tease it and drive me wild.

"I'm… I'm…" I was very much unable to say anything remotely resembling a coherent sentence.

"Say it," he commanded. "What are you doing, Sookie?"

"I'm fucking you! Oh, God!" As soon as I said it I exploded over him. I was so completely gone that I lost my voice, my air, control over my body and collapsed.

"No you don't," Eric growled, turning us around and getting on top. He began pumping into me hungrily, hitting that sweet spot just so.

I found my voice and began crying out in pleasure. "I love you, Eric. Love me, love me."

Eric's fangs grazed my neck along with his tongue. He grunted loudly every time he reached my deepest spot. He stopped suddenly and knelt between my legs, pushing my knees back to open me further for him. He watched as he pumped in and out of me, seeing exactly how he derived his pleasure. I reached his thighs and raked my fingernails over them, inciting him to keep moving.

"Harder," I panted. Eric growled above me and complied. "Faster," I begged. I wanted to come again. "I want to hear you come. I want to hear you, Eric."

He let me wrap my legs around him and came down to me, so I could wrap my arms around him too. He put his elbows at either side of me, and his forehead on my shoulder. He grunted and groaned, growled and purred as ecstasy took him over the edge. Eric turned his head, and sank his fangs slowly into my neck. I heard a low moan escape him as my blood rushed into him and I rushed out of my body. I loved this euphoric feeling he brought forth whenever we made love and he took my blood. It was probably better than any drug.

Eventually we settled, still enveloped in the blue cocoon of the necklace. I noticed he was kissing it, as he kissed my neck where he'd taken blood. By now I knew the wounds were healed. Eric had developed a habit of pricking his tongue with his fangs to heal the bite marks. In that way we also exchanged blood in between actual exchanges.

He removed the necklace and set it back on the table, and we were once again left with only the soft light of a bedside lamp I'd turned on much earlier. As he moved he got a perplexed look on his face, and looked down between us.

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking down too, but I couldn't see anything from my vantage point.

"I don't know. One or both of us made a mess," he answered and smiled. "I'll be right back, my love. Don't move." With that he left and disappeared to the bathroom.

Only when he moved away from me could I feel the colder air hit the wetness between my legs. He was right. It felt like a mess. I didn't move for fear of spreading it everywhere on the bed. Eric returned with a dry towel and a wet hand towel. He put the towel under my butt and proceeded to clean me with the other one.

"Did I bleed?" I asked. I wasn't due for my period yet, but God only knew. Weird things happen to women's bodies.

"No. It smells mostly like me, and some of you," he said as he took care of me. He was amazingly tender as he ran the wet towel to clean me. He patted me dry with the other towel, and kissed me for good measure.

When he returned to me we snuggled, holding each other tight. "How was your day?" he asked.

"I had another lazy one. Ate a big breakfast, went for a swim, finished reading my book on the hammock, then I came back and took a shower and attacked you," I giggled.

He chuckled too. "I can't tell you how pleasant it was to dream of making love to you, and wake up making love to you. We should definitely do that again." We grew silent for a little bit. "What made you wear the necklace?"

I sighed. I'd known the question was coming. "I liked making love to you, but after the initial thrill it wasn't doing much for me. Then I remembered the necklace made me super horny and I decided to try it. It worked, as you saw."

He "hmm'd" in response, a sound of neither approval nor disapproval. I looked up, asking him the silent question. "I don't know why it glows and I'd like to find out more before you wear it again," he clarified.

"I had a dream about it," I confessed and told him the story from the very beginning. "When I was really little, my dad used to tuck me into bed and we would say our prayers. I used to imagine my guardian angel as a pretty red-haired woman. When I prayed for you to get better the night the witches undid the curse, I prayed to my guardian angel. Last night I had a dream and she told me to accept your gift of the necklace because it was full of your love. I remember I explained to her why it was scary, and she said 'not fear, love. Not danger, protection.' And then I started dreaming of other things."

Eric was frowning in a confused way and looking at me intently as I told him the story. "What does your angel look like?"

"Red hair, pale skin, big blue eyes. I must have seen someone like her when I was a girl and thought she was so pretty she must be an angel, and it just stuck."

"She could have been," Eric mumbled. "Isn't your fairy cousin working to become an angel?"

"Yes," I answered slowly.

"And wasn't she sent to look after you?"

"Yes. But Claudine has black hair and brown eyes, plus she has a very nice tan. I would have never guessed we're even remotely related," I said. I was starting to get confused by his line of questioning.

"That's not what I mean. Maybe she was sent to take someone else's place," he explained.

"Oh," was all I thought of saying. "Well, I promise not to wear it again until we ask Octavia to take a look at it. Or maybe even Claudine can do me the favor."

"Alright, my love," he kissed my nose. "What shall we do tonight after I make you dinner?"

"You're making dinner two nights in a row?"

"Of course. I told you I want to learn to take care of my wife like she takes care of me," he tickled me as he said the words, making me jump and giggle.

"Who is this wife you speak of?" I teased and laughed.

"Funny Sookie," he grabbed my face and smooshed my cheeks, making my lips pucker so he could plant a messy kiss on them. "I love you," he said with a twinkle in his eye. He was feeling mischievous.

"Oh, no, you don't," I tried to back away, but he quickly took hold of my waist.

"What?" he asked, giving me a wholly innocent look.

"Whatever you're planning on doing, I want no part of it."

"You hurt me, Sookie. I wasn't planning on doing anything," he shook his head seriously… and slowly started smiling… "Except this." He started tickling me again, this time making me twitch and laugh as I tried to roll out of the bed. He caught me as I almost fell off it.

We finally dressed and went in search of food for me. There was a chicken breast already defrosted in the fridge, so I taught Eric how to cook that for me, and how to boil pasta. While he stared at the pot of boiling water (after I told him not to), I made myself another salad. As I ate dinner we were shocked by a sudden whooshing sound.

"Rain," we both said in unison.

"No beach tonight?" I asked.

"Nope. I guess not. I'm sure we can find something else to do," Eric said. We were playing footsies under the table.

We did find something else to do. We let the rain-cooled air come in through the open windows and snuggled on the large sofa to watch a movie on a huge-screen TV. I wasn't sure of the size, only that it was bigger than ours back home. We turned off every light and pretended to be at the movies.

I didn't consider the rain to have messed our vacation. This was still a beautiful place. This was still a far-away place. We were still alone together. And we were never more in love.

**TBC**

**A/N:** I know… kinda fluffy. I'm wrapping up the honeymoon (awwww…!). I know, I know. But things are brewing up in Louisiana that need to be taken care of.


	42. Bad News First

**A/N: **They're baaack…! Oh, well. All good things must come to an end, plus we have to find answers for certain things… and it's good to be home, let's face it.

I spent my day sick at home *pouts* but that meant I had time to write a lot while convalescing *smiles*.

Also, I'm changing the story up a bit, per my usual, since it makes more sense my way… that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

* * *

**Chapter 42 – Bad News First**

"WHAT? You have _got_ to be kidding me!"

"I do not kid. If I have to take care of his businesses, you have to take care of his house. You broke into his house. You cannot expect to go unpunished," Eric said. He was standing up completely straight with his arms folded over his chest. Whenever he did that he looked so massive, it was almost impossible to argue with him.

I tried anyway. "But it's icky in there," I whined, and didn't care. I knew what I'd done was wrong. I'd been a fool to think I could get away with it. Breaking and entering usually carried a jail sentence, not a sentence to clean and take care of the house one had broken into. That didn't mean I had to like my punishment.

Eric raised an eyebrow, finding amusement in my whining. His lips twitched. He was trying his darnedest to suppress a smile. "You mean to tell me that the great Sookie Stackhouse is scared of an old house?"

"I'm not scared!" I said immediately, because the truth was that I _was_ scared. A little bit, anyway. What if I found more stuff about me?

Of course, I should have known that Eric would feel my own small fear. "I'll go with you the first time and help you. After that you'll be on your own."

He unfolded his arms and reached for me, pulling me to him and hugging me tight. "Not fair," I said. My statement came out muffled against his chest, but I returned the hug and relaxed into it. The sad part was that I knew it was fair.

It was our second night back from our honeymoon and we were due at Fangtasia. We were dressed and almost ready to go. I'd just finished dinner when Eric told me the bad news that I had to take care of Bill's house for the next two years. My cell phone rang and made me jump. Eric reached for it and handed it to me.

"It's Claudine," he announced after looking at the screen. I didn't know why he looked at the screen, if it was an automatic thing or if he was jealous that somebody was calling me. Either way I didn't mind. I had nothing to hide.

"Hi, Claudine!"

"Hey! I just got your message. I had a late day at work. What's going on?" she asked. She sounded like she was walking outside, probably to her car from the store.

"I need your help. I need you to take a look at a necklace that Eric had made for me of the stones that Octavia used to undo the curse on him. Maybe you can tell us more about it?"

"Oh, sure! Listen, Fintan wants to visit you and talk to you. Why don't we do this all at once? I'm free on Sunday. Can we meet then?" she asked. I heard the distinct sound of a car door closing in the background.

We set up our meeting for Sunday afternoon at the house in Bon Temps. It was Thursday already. Eric approved, more out of relief that maybe we'd get some answers than from a need to control. The next phone call I got was from my brother.

"Sookie, I thought you might want to know," Jason's voice was grave and serious. I almost never heard him talk like that.

"What happened? What's wrong?" I asked immediately. My stomach started sinking and I didn't even know what was wrong yet.

"Sam was shot. He's alive and in the hospital, but he's not doing well," Jason said, and I thought I might throw up. I took some deep breaths while Eric took the phone from me. He'd heard everything.

"When? Where is he now? Who shot him?" Eric asked. There had been a pause after each question while he let Jason answer. "Thank you, Jason," he said, and handed the phone back to me while he pulled out his own.

"Eric will give you the particulars. I gotta get back inside and see how Sam's doing," Jason said.

"Are you at the hospital?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'll call, okay?"

"Okay," I said and we hung up. I started listening to Eric's conversation. Whoever he was talking to, he was calling him Packmaster. He hung up after a couple of minutes.

"Someone is targeting shifters in the area," Eric said in a voice just as grave as my brother's had been.

"What do you mean targeting?"

"Someone's been shooting them, aiming to kill them. Sam is the third one to be shot. The first one, a girl, was killed. The second was Calvin Norris, the head of the werepanthers in Hot Shot. The Packmaster of the Shreveport Weres is helping Calvin and Sam, even though they're not Weres. I offered help, but he says he has everything under control," Eric had been pacing. He stopped and looked at me with a worried expression. His eyebrows were set low over his eyes. "I suppose you want to go see how Sam is doing." It wasn't a question.

I was torn. Sam had been so nice to me for so long, I felt I owed him. On the other hand, Eric had every right to be upset at my wanting to see him. I didn't know what to do. I looked down at the floor without answering.

"Put your coat on, Sookie. We have to go," Eric said, reaching for my coat and helping me with it.

"He was shot this morning," Eric said in the car.

I looked up at him. I'd been picking around my nails and not really paying attention to anything. I wasn't even sure if Eric had said something before his cryptic sentence. "W-who?" I stuttered.

"Sam. He was shot this morning, behind the bar. Terry Bellefleur found him when he came in to work. Do you know who that Bellefleur is?" Eric asked.

"Um… Terry helps Sam tend bar sometimes, particularly on full moon nights," I realized that suddenly. "Terry also cleans the bar every night after it closes."

"Could he have hurt Sam?" Eric asked.

"No," I answered, absolutely sure that Terry could never have hurt anybody. "Terry's a good soul. He came back with from Afghanistan with PTSD, so we have to be extra careful with him and not stress him out too much," I said, talking as if I still worked at Merlotte's. "Sam hired him as soon as he opened the bar, just like he hired me. I think Sam's always had a soft spot for damaged people." I felt tears smart my eyes.

"You're not damaged, Sookie," Eric said in a soft voice, meaning to be tender.

I shrugged. It really didn't matter what I was. I'd been Crazy Sookie from Bon Temps, and Sam hired me anyway. I made up my mind that I would go see him at the hospital the next morning. Eric would never have to find out.

"We're here," Eric announced.

I finally looked up, half expecting to see Fangtasia's back parking lot. Instead we were parked amongst rows and rows of cars. "Where is here?"

"LSU Medical Center. They airlifted Sam here, to shock trauma. He's really sick, Sookie," Eric said, fixing me with his eyes. He was trying to make me understand the seriousness of the situation.

Eric got out of the car and came to get my door. The only reason he'd had to do that was because I hadn't moved an inch. I'd barely breathed. _Shock trauma_. That was bad, wasn't it? It was so bad that none of the hospitals near Bon Temps could help Sam. We were still in Shreveport. I held onto Eric's hand. He was keeping me centered.

"Thank you," I said quietly. I knew this wasn't easy for him, and I didn't want him to think I took his thoughtfulness for granted.

"I don't hate the man, Sookie, and I certainly would not have kept you from seeing him in the hospital."

The guard at the front desk directed us to where they were keeping Sam, gave us badges, and we were sent on our way. We found Jason in the waiting area right outside the ICU. I was beginning to really hate hospitals.

"He's been out of surgery for two hours and they can't seem to get him stable. His blood pressure is all over the place," Jason said without preamble as soon as he saw us.

"Where was he hit?" Eric asked, obviously keeping his wits, whereas I couldn't.

"It was very close to the heart. His left lung collapsed, and the bullet nicked the aorta. They said they repaired all the damage, so they don't understand…"

"Excuse me. Are you friends of Sam Merlotte?" a nurse interrupted us. She was thinking that she needed to call Sam's family because he was in serious trouble and might not survive the night.

A sob escaped me before I could stop it, and I quickly reached for my phone. "I have Sam's mom's phone number in Texas," I said. I didn't even realize that the nurse hadn't asked the question out loud. Eric rubbed my back slowly, trying to soothe me as I rattled off the number.

"Um, thanks," the nurse said. She'd eyed me curiously but decided to keep it professional. "They're very busy with him right now. If we can get his blood pressure stable we can let you in one at a time to see him," she said, and with a strained smile she left.

"He might not survive the night," I whispered looking up at Eric. He didn't need to ask how I knew that. He simply held me close and wiped my cheeks with his handkerchief.

We sat down without a word. Jason left briefly to get something to drink for both me and him. No way to get a True Blood for Eric at a hospital. They probably used them for actual transfusions, as that was their original intended purpose. I wondered if Sam had needed a transfusion, and if Sam's blood was like a regular human's blood, with the same antigens and stuff.

"Ms. Stackhouse?" a different nurse came out and asked. It had been at least forty five minutes since the first nurse had come around.

I looked up. "Yes?"

"Mr. Merlotte asked for you," the nurse said with a serious expression.

Eric pushed me up from my seat, feeling my hesitation. I followed the nurse past a set of doors that would only open with a security card. The nursed felt the need to brief me before letting me inside Sam's room.

"Mr. Merlotte asked for you during a brief period of lucidity. His body is still in shock from the shooting, and he's been drifting in and out of consciousness. We finally were able to stabilize his blood pressure, but it's lower than we would like it. I was able to reach his family and they're on their way, but he was adamant that he wanted to talk to you," she said, eyeing me cautiously.

I was trying to keep it together. God only knew what I would see when I went inside Sam's room. I nodded, not trusting my voice, and she led me through the door to the actual ICU. We circled the busy nurse's station and she led me to Sam's room through a set of double doors, one of which had been left open.

Sam had tubes coming out from everywhere, including his mouth. "How did he ask for me?" I asked confused.

"We intubated later. He was having trouble breathing. His lung hasn't re-inflated yet. We hope that will happen soon on its own. For now we're keeping him mildly sedated, which helped with the blood pressure issues," the nurse kept talking, but I'd stopped listening to her mouth and mind.

"Can I have a moment?" I asked her. She left me alone with Sam, saying she would return in a few minutes. Actually, I wasn't sure if she'd actually spoken or merely said it in her brain.

I sat next to Sam and grabbed his hand, fully intending to listen to him and whatever was passing through his sedated mind. His eyes were closed. If it wasn't for the tube coming out of his mouth, I would have thought he was asleep. His mind was a mess of information that had no rhyme or reason. It read like a sleeping person's brain, someone who was having a nightmare.

"Sam, I'm here like you asked," I said out loud, still holding his hand. His brain registered my voice and conjured up my image. He remembered me in my Merlotte's uniform, my hair in a high ponytail, and smiling at him across his bar. Then images of me started filing past too fast for me to see them in detail. I only knew it was me because of the blond hair and blue eyes. "Sam, calm down, I'm here. Can you think about what you wanted to tell me? I can hear you."

Sam's thoughts slowed down. He opened his eyes briefly, and as he did his thoughts filled with a mirror image of me. As soon as his eyes were closed again, he started thinking words at me. He was trying to convey his anger along with the words. "Shifter shot me. Bitten, not born." He thought the same two sentences at me a few times until I repeated them out loud for him to know that I got him.

"Do you know who?" I asked. The image I got back was of a blond woman, though I didn't know her. I committed the image to memory, though. If Sam died tonight… I could barely form the thought. If Sam died tonight, I would know who his killer had been. "Okay, Sam. I'll give Alcee Beck the description, and…" I stopped in my tracks. The woman was working in the kitchen at Merlotte's. No wonder Sam wanted _me_ here. I could read his mind, and then convey the information to the right people. Nobody would question how I'd come across the information. Everybody would know. "I should probably not tell Alcee," I thought out loud. I didn't know much about bitten shifters, but I did know that shifters in general were stronger than humans. "I'll let Eric call the Shreveport Packmaster," I said, thinking quickly.

"Ms. Stackhouse?" the nurse was at the door. I wondered how long she'd been there.

Sam's thoughts became chaotic once more, like he had slipped back into the nightmare. "I'll come see you tomorrow, Sam," I whispered leaning in, and kissed his forehead. That steered his thoughts to the kiss we had shared. I couldn't fault him, and I was certainly not going to stop him. That one thought had settled his mind.

I returned to Eric and Jason, who were waiting for me in different states of worry. Jason was a walker. Eric was sitting and looked to be in down time until I approached.

"Sam wanted to see me because he knows who shot him," I said to Eric, and then turned to Jason. "Eric and I have to go now. The nurse said she'd gotten a hold of Sam's family and they're on their way."

"I'll stay a little longer," Jason said, waiting for me to elaborate on who had shot Sam.

"I can't tell you yet," I answered Jason's mental question. My shields were completely shot. "But whatever you do stay away from Merlotte's until I tell you it's safe, okay?"

Jason frowned, but he knew better than to question me about something like that. Eric and I made our way out. The minute we were completely outside the hospital I told Eric everything in a quick whisper. He called the Packmaster immediately, and kept making phone calls as we walked back to the car.

"Are you okay?" he asked me when we got in the car.

"No, not really. I feel very helpless," I answered honestly.

"And yet you have helped the most," Eric pointed out.

"It will be of no use to find the perpetrator if Sam dies." I looked out the window. I knew Eric was trying his best, sending me love and comfort through the bond, but unable to say that everything would be okay. Even super vampires couldn't tell the future.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Why are you so nervous?" Claudine asked me as we waited for my grandfather to show up. Sure I'd met him briefly while he was saving my life, but this would be our first official civilized meeting. Claudine gathered as much and chuckled. It was nice that she was able to read my mind. I didn't have to put into words the fact that I wasn't truly nervous, more like apprehensive.

"Do you think he'll like me?" I asked anyway.

"Sookie, sometimes I wonder about you," she said, sounding a lot like Pam, actually. "Of course he likes you. You're a hard person to not like," she took a sip of her iced tea. I'd made peach tea, knowing fairies' aversion to lemons. "Delicious. Why don't you bring me your necklace while we wait for Fintan? Sometimes the portal acts up. We might wait here for a long time."

I retrieved my amber and jet necklace and handed it to her without saying a word. I'd handled it with reverence, so she did the same. The fact that those were Freyja's sacred stones was not lost on me.

"Tell me everything about these stones, how they were used, how come you have them?" she said.

I told Claudine everything, from when the witches used them to make a circle around Eric, to when Octavia handed them to him and what she'd said about his protection against witch's spells, to the fact that instead of keeping them for his protection, Eric had chosen to have them set into the necklace for my protection. She listened intently.

"The fact that he gave them to you shows how much he truly loves you. He would rather remain unprotected as long as you are safe. That gesture changed their purpose," she looked at the stones, examining each one like a geologist.

"What do you mean it changed their purpose? They're not for protection anymore?" I asked.

"They're still for protection. I wonder what else they're for. When someone chooses another's wellbeing over their own, it creates a sort of debt. It's like karma, if you will. Whatever you give you shall receive, that kind of thing. Eric gave you his protection, so what is he getting in return? That's what I'm trying to figure out," she said, still examining each stone.

"I didn't tell you something," I said, and closed my eyes, showing her in minute detail what it had made us do.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed. I opened my eyes and she was staring at me wide-eyed. "That was some really potent pheromone action. You guys went at it like fairies in heat. I'll have to ask Niall. If these stones were truly touched by a goddess, then he would know more. I don't have access to the upper echelon… yet," she smiled, but her smile faded a little at seeing me frown. "Don't worry. Whatever it is, it's not bad."

Fintan arrived shortly after that. When I showed him in he grabbed me and gave me a huge hug, and kissed my cheek just like Claudine had done. I was beginning to understand that fairies liked to be close to other fairies, no matter how much fairy blood they had. I very much enjoyed being close to Claudine and now Fintan.

"I hear you went on a trip with your husband," Fintan said good-naturedly. He didn't seem to mind that my husband was from a rival species.

"Yes," I smiled. "We finally found the time to have a honeymoon. It was very nice."

"You seem to like the sun. Your skin is glowing with it," he said. He'd been holding my hand and now was looking at it, checking out the awesome tan I'd developed.

"I love the sun. I suntan often, but it's hard to do in the winter. That's why Eric chose to take me to the Caribbean, so I could enjoy the sun in the middle of winter."

Fintan and Claudine exchanged a knowing look, and understood my confusion right away. "We're sky fairies. That's probably why you enjoy the sun so much," Fintan explained.

"So does Jason," I said, wanting them very much to start including Jason if we were going to have habitual family meetings. "He likes to work outside in the sun."

We talked a little bit about Fairy. Actually, Fintan explained that there was a portal near this house, and that's how he'd met Gran. He liked to travel back and forth, and that portal was the closest to where he lived in Fairy. Curiosity got the better of him one day.

"She was working in the garden right outside the first time I saw her. It was early in the morning, and she was planting little things," Fintan said with a far off look. "Adele looked a lot like you and was about your age when we met."

Fintan didn't go into detail (thank God), but he did tell me he watched over all of us. He'd never stopped visiting Gran, and loved her very much, right up until the end. It gave me a new appreciation for Eric's feelings towards me. Fintan looked to be about forty five years old, but I knew he was several centuries old. If he could love my Gran as much as he said right up until her death, then I could believe when Eric said the same thing. It was possible. I didn't like to think about the future too much anyway, so I refocused on the matter at hand.

"Look at these, Uncle Fintan. What do you think?" Claudine asked, handing him the amber and jet necklace.

"They're beautiful. A gift from your Viking, no doubt. They did treasure pretty baubles," he smiled at me then set to examining them just like Claudine had done. Fintan looked up at Claudine, "These are more, aren't they?"

"Yes," she answered. "I believe they have been touched by Eric's goddess."

"They feel like it. I've not come across many god-touched objects, but this necklace fills the bill," Fintan said. I wondered what they felt.

Claudine answered my unspoken question. "It's like a soft hum of sorts. Different kinds of magic have different kinds of hum. It's hard to describe, because it has to do with our energy core, and you don't have one, unfortunately. That's why you can't make candy bars appear at will," she snickered.

"But a human witch can do magic," I countered, "and they wouldn't have an energy core either."

"No, but they learn to channel the energy from the earth and the heavens. It takes many years of study to become a witch. As you saw, they invoke the help of a god or goddess when it is needed," Claudine explained.

I switched subjects slightly. "Eric was wondering if you were taking the place of a different guardian angel to watch over me."

Claudine blinked, seeing the red-haired woman that my mind conjured whenever I thought of my guardian angel. "No, I don't know who she is. Not everybody gets a guardian angel, and technically I'm your fairy godmother," she smiled.

"Niall has met the upper echelon. Perhaps he can shed some light on all this," Fintan said, patting the hand he was still holding.

We talked a little bit longer and they left about half an hour before sunset. That gave me just enough time to hop in the shower and wash the fairy scent off me. I was nearly done when Eric's beautiful face startled me.

"May I join you, gorgeous?" he asked, smiling from ear to ear.

"Of course," like he needed to ask.

"I smelled fairy in your living room," he said, grabbing me and bringing me close. He buried his nose at my neck, nuzzling it lovingly.

"I see," I said, but actually I felt more than I saw. He was poking my belly with his happy gracious plenty. I reached between us to stroke him. It was official. I didn't think I would ever stop wanting Eric in every way. We'd had sex at least twice a night during our honeymoon, and ever since we'd gotten home we tried to squeeze in at least one session.

"Do you see, Sookie? Do you see what you do to me?" he asked, kissing me everywhere. He lifted me easily, and I wrapped my legs around him. He lowered me slowly onto him, and I held on to his neck, bringing him close.

I claimed his mouth as he claimed me, sucking on his tongue, biting his lower lip, eating all his moans. He drove me crazy whenever he moaned like that. It was such a delicious sound that it made me want to come just hearing him.

"Bite me, Sookie," he said, offering his neck to me. I kissed his soft skin first then licked the water off it. He started pumping faster, spurring me on to bite in a frenzy of passion. He bit my shoulder and we gave each other blood at the same time that we reached our climax together. Those were the times I could hear Eric's mind. That night he was remembering how he'd woken up with wild little me making love to him. He'd seen the haze of blue enveloping me, and had felt the same crazy need I'd felt.

I had to wash again, but I washed him first, taking care of Mr. Happy and the boys especially. I heard him chuckle.

"What?" I asked, looking up.

"You are being very meticulous about the way you wash certain parts of my anatomy," he explained.

"Oh, like you don't do the same thing to my boobs," I said, pretending to be mad, but I couldn't keep the pretense for long. I giggled.

"These are not _boobs_. Nothing this beautiful could have such an awful name," he said, caressing each of my girls in a loving way.

Yep! We were still two sappy lovers. Eventually we made it out of the shower and got ready for work.

"Have you heard from Sam's mom today?" Eric asked as he kept me company during dinner.

"Yes. He's talking, and he's as well as can be expected," I answered.

Sam hadn't died like the doctors had feared, and that was solely because he was a shifter, though the doctors didn't know that. Eric explained that the magic that helped them change also helped them heal. The Shreveport Packmaster of the Weres had sent a couple of people to help with Sam's business, so that he wouldn't lose revenue. He'd need it now more than ever to pay for medical bills. Apparently the same Packmaster had helped out with the people from Hot Shot, though they didn't need as much help as lonely Sam.

And me? I'd gone to visit him on Friday, like I promised, and again on Saturday, watching as he mended slowly. We'd developed our mind-talk so he didn't have to speak while his throat healed from the tube they had inserted.

"What did Claudine say about the necklace?" Eric asked next.

"That it felt god-touched, but that she would have to ask Niall more about it. Fintan agreed. Claudine said that since the stones were meant for your protection, when you gave them to me you changed their purpose. You chose my safety over yours and created some sort of karmic vacuum. She thinks now they're protecting me, but they're also doing something else… I'm not sure. This is her area more than mine. She's going to call me as soon as she talks to Niall," I tried to explain, badly.

That's when I found another of the many perks of being married: there was no need to suffer through confusion alone. You could be confused together.

**TBC**


	43. And Above All Else

**A/N:** I'm going to say this in the nicest way… I have the pushiest readers! LOL! Fine, okay! Here's the next chapter *throws it at the ravenous wolverine-readers*. Good thing I've been sick and I'm on a roll!

Um… and… Oh, yes! I love you ALL! Great big Viking hugs and kisses!

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**Chapter 43 – And Above All Else**

I heard Eric bellow something incoherent from the office next to the den. I was cleaning up after dinner and we were supposed to go to Bill's house (ugh!) to see what I would need to get to start taking care of it. I kept drying the same pan slowly, trying to listen from the kitchen. Something or someone had made Eric furious. He stomped to the kitchen and I made myself busy again. He reached for a True Blood and stuck it in the microwave violently, almost breaking both the bottle and the microwave's turntable. I didn't ask what was wrong because I knew he would tell me any minute.

"They can't find the woman who shot the shifters," he said suddenly, just as the microwave beeped.

I tried to think of a good enough question. "Who are 'they'?"

"The Shreveport Weres said they'd take care of it. They have all the information they need on that woman, and they still can't find her. I think that good-for-nothing Andy Bellefleur would have found her already. Those fucking Weres won't ask for help either. Don't they understand I have a duty to them? Motherfucking mutts." Eric stopped talking to gulp the blood. He barely ever cursed in front of me, only when he was extremely upset.

I didn't know how to calm him or make things better. He was leaning against the kitchen counter, so I put everything down and got close, to hug his waist. His inner ire became subdued as he returned the hug with one arm. I looked up and he looked down. He'd been so mad that he was showing fang, but they were retracting now. Eric took a deep breath. "What did I do without you?"

"You probably stayed mad all night," I answered, trying to contain a smile.

"You are right," he hugged me tight and kissed my hair. "Let's go to Compton's. I can't help the Weres if they won't let me help. They're the ones being targeted, not my people, so if they feel comfortable with their inept attempts at finding the woman then I have to accept it."

We left soon thereafter, taking my car with the bigger trunk space, just in case. "I remember Bill had tons of True Blood. I'm sure they won't keep for two years, so we should take them home," I said, making mental lists of things I would have to do.

"Why in the world did you look inside the refrigerator?" Eric asked. He was amused.

"It wasn't me, it was Jason. He was curious," I answered. I thought about it. "I might have opened it too if he hadn't done it."

Eric chuckled. "What would you have done if you had found something other than True Blood?"

"Like what?" I asked. "A body?"

"No, not a body. Some of us drink real blood that comes in those bags, from donors. They're usually stolen from blood banks," Eric explained.

I must have made a face because he was laughing at me. "Why don't you drink those?" I asked, peeved that he was making fun of me.

"I told you, they're usually stolen. I'm a sheriff. I do not steal, I am the law," he said, looking innocent. "So are you girls set up for the Super Bowl?" Eric asked, changing the subject.

Pam and I were going to have a Super Bowl party at Fangtasia. For that we needed several TV screens, subscription to cable (which the bar hadn't had), and everything hooked up after Saturday's closing, but before Sunday's opening of the bar. This was Pam's baby, more than mine, but I was offering moral as well as daytime support.

"Yep! I'll go there Sunday morning and supervise the installation of the TV's. Tomorrow I have to go there and supervise the cable people. Hopefully they'll be done early so I can go visit Sam," I said.

Eric made a face. "I don't like it that you will be alone at the bar while those people work," he said. For a moment I thought he was going to say something about my visiting Sam. I was glad he didn't. "I can send Bruce instead," Eric offered.

"I don't like Bruce," I said. Bruce was Eric's day guy, and I'd been trying to tell Eric to just let me do whatever Bruce was doing, and save himself money and my aggravation with Bruce, but Eric said no. I was his wife, not his employee, and besides I was helping enough already without compensation. For a while now I'd waited tables just to help out, and given my tips to the other girls. Why in the world did I need my tips? Eric had set up a separate account for my spending whim… not to mention the household accounts that I managed. Plus I helped out with some of the fiefdom business once in a while, whenever Eric was overwhelmed. So Eric had kept Bruce for daytime business.

"Sookie," Eric said my name in that way he had, as a warning that I was being pigheaded.

"Fine, call Bruce. Just as well. I didn't want to wake up early tomorrow anyway," I said, pouting like a teenager. He called Bruce before I had a chance to change my mind.

Bill's house was dark and somber, a relic. It stood like a monster among the bare trees against a cloudy sky. It felt chilly enough that it might snow, though the weather forecast wasn't clear on what kind of precipitation we were getting. It smelled like snow to me.

"Every time I come to this house I feel like I'm stepping into an episode of Scooby Doo. At any minute we'll get attacked by bats and get chased by monsters. Did you bring the Scooby Snacks?" I asked Eric as we got out of the car.

He'd started laughing as soon as I'd said "Scooby Doo." Well, at least one of us found humor in this situation. Wait 'til he got chased by monsters. He wouldn't find it funny then. Eric took my hand, still laughing, and led the way to the spooky house. The front door now sported a brand new shiny lock, courtesy of my bank account and Jason's handiwork. Eric opened it with the set of keys that he was about to hand to me, and found a light switch right away. At least the front yard was now illuminated. The house was too, but the lighting was sub-par.

"The house was much brighter during the day," I commented, holding tight to Eric's hand. I was not going to let go until it was absolutely necessary.

Eric stopped in his tracks. He sniffed the air like he sometimes did, opening his mouth like a cat. Whatever he was feeling gave way to battle mode. He quickly moved me to stand behind him.

"What's wrong?" I whispered.

"There's somebody here. Show yourself!" he shouted into the dark house. Nothing happened. I half expected Bill to show up. "Sookie, go outside."

Before I could even start moving back out the door, I heard the sound of shots being fired, Eric's growls, and a sudden pop right in front of me. I was knocked to the floor, and felt a sharp pain on my tailbone where it made contact with the hard floor. I looked up, scared for Eric, who moved in a blur up to the landing that overlooked the foyer. There was somebody there, somebody who was firing a large gun in my general direction. I wasn't getting hit, though, and I realized why. Claudine had been the one to knock me to the floor and out of the way.

"Come on," she picked me up and ran right out the door as if I weighed nothing.

"But Eric…!"

"He's dealing with the threat. Let me deal with you so he doesn't have to worry about you," she said, and set me down behind the car, covering me with her body so I wouldn't run away.

I focused on Eric's feelings. They were a chaotic mess of rage and bloodlust. I started hyperventilating, and Claudine had to hold me to calm me down with her fairy proximity. Eric better be okay. Eric better be okay or I swore I would kill somebody. The shots had stopped. All I heard were growls coming from inside the house, and Claudine talking low and quick into her phone.

The night was quiet once more. I tried to get up but Claudine prevented it. "Stay," she ordered me without moving from her spot.

"Is Eric okay? I want to see him," I said, trying to get up again in vain. Claudine was as strong as a vampire.

"He's okay," she said in a very serious voice that was very unlike her. I asked her the question with my mind. "Remember I told you he loves you very much. He was only trying to protect you. Do not judge him too harshly."

With that she stood up and helped me to stand. I immediately turned to the front door of the house, where Eric was just emerging. I felt an overwhelming sense of relief to see him, which was quickly dislodged by fear and dread. He was covered in blood. Obviously he had killed the shooter, but how much of the blood was his, and how much of it belonged to the other person? I started to walk forward but Claudine held me back.

"Keep her there," Eric said. He looked exhausted. I knew he'd gotten hurt.

"Let me go," I shouted, trying to break Claudine's hold.

"Stay there," Eric shouted back. That had the effect of stopping my attempts to break free. And broke my heart.

"You smell like me and he's still under the effects of the bloodlust. Give him a few minutes," Claudine whispered in my ear. I nodded dejectedly, watching his every move.

"The Shreveport Weres are coming. I called them to take care of this mess," Claudine said. She was talking to both of us, but mostly to Eric.

"Thank you," I heard him say in a very low volume. He was holding himself up using the front door's doorjamb.

The time seemed to drag slower than ever as we waited for the Shreveport Weres to come. Eric didn't move from his position, and I didn't move from mine, watching and "listening" to his feelings inside me. There was a lot of fear mixed in with rage and bloodlust. He was obviously scared of hurting me.

"How's your tailbone?" Claudine asked. "I'm sorry I made you fall. I wasn't very accurate when I popped in this time."

"I'm okay. How did you know to pop in?" I asked, never moving my eyes from Eric's figure. He was staring into the middle distance between him and us.

"Whenever you're in danger, I can pop to help you. The last time I popped into your house instead of the grocery store, simply because I wasn't paying attention. I'm more tuned to you now," she explained.

"That's handy," I commented, not really knowing what else to say.

"Sure, but not practical. It takes a lot of energy, so I can only do it in emergencies," she paused. "I was able to speak to Niall. He didn't tell me anything, only that he wants to meet with you and Eric."

"Oh, okay," I said. Well, it was about time I met him oficially anyway.

"Seems to me that he already knows Eric," Claudine mused.

"Yes, I know Niall," Eric said from the door. He'd heard our whole conversation. "I will set up the meeting."

I felt guilty that we had just given him something else to think about. Plus who had he just killed to save my life?

"Oh! I thought you knew," Claudine said from behind me. "That was the woman who was shooting shifters."

I nodded slowly. "How did she get in the house?"

"She forced a window," Eric answered. Great! Something to add to my list for taking care of this place. I'd have all the windows replaced. "Claudine, please take Sookie to her house. I'll be there shortly."

Claudine didn't hesitate, taking my hand and starting to walk towards the cemetery between the houses.

"Wait!" I said and she stopped. I couldn't leave Eric here like this. "What the hell, Eric? I can't just go."

"Go home, Sookie. I don't want you involved in Were politics. I promise I'll be there soon," he said in a stern voice, not moving from the door. "Please, Sookie, go home. For me," he repeated in a softer tone. When he said it like that, I had no choice but to let Claudine pull me through the cemetery.

"Look, Sookie. You have to understand that Weres are bad news. You think vampire politics are bad, Were politics are worse," Claudine started to explain as we walked in the darkness. She must have had super fairy vision, because I couldn't see a thing. "Also, remember that vampires would like to use you to read human minds, but you can't read vampire minds. But you _can_ read shifter minds. The less they know about you, the better."

We walked silently for a few minutes until I saw the dark outline of my house in the trees. Claudine paused at the perimeter and tried to touch something in mid-air. I knew what had stopped her immediately.

"You didn't feel this before? It's the barrier the witches put to keep out uninvited people from my house," I said as we walked right through it.

"I drove in last time. I guess I wasn't paying attention, or I drove through it too quickly to feel it, and since I'm invited it didn't stop me. It's clever," she mused.

The security lights came on as we tripped the motion sensors. We made our way to the back porch where Claudine stopped. "Go take a shower. I don't think I should go inside the house after the kind of night your Viking's had. Can I trust you not to go looking for him? He'll be here any minute as soon as he deals with the mess next door."

"Yes, I'll stay here and wait for him," I said and rolled my eyes. Claudine and I parted ways and I headed straight for the shower. Since I didn't smell anything, I felt like I was washing an already clean body.

"Sookie?" I heard Eric's voice from the kitchen as I got dressed.

"Yes?" I said, since I knew that he could tell exactly where I was. He'd been trying to get my attention.

"Is there any way I can convince you to avert your eyes, while I walk to the bathroom?" he asked. He was being too formal.

"Eric, please…" I hadn't been able to see him well, but I'd seen he was bloody.

"I'm afraid it will scare you. Please grant me this one wish," he said. He was very close, probably standing in the hall right outside the bedroom.

"Okay, Eric. I'm covering my eyes," I said, and did as he asked, feeling a little foolish but not wanting to upset him any further. I opened my eyes only when I heard the bathroom door close.

I sat in the middle of the bed and waited patiently. He was still upset, but until we spoke, I wouldn't know why. He seemed more upset about this than when he'd killed the vampires that had come to get me, or when he ripped Bill's arm. I wondered if he felt guilty for not being able to protect me and deal with the threat at the same time. I wondered if he resented that Claudine had come to my rescue.

The shower stopped. I knew he was done, but I wasn't sure if he wanted company. I stayed where I was and continued waiting. He emerged from the bathroom a few minutes later, brush in hand, sat on the bed and handed me the brush over his shoulder. I knelt on the bed and set to work. By degrees his emotions calmed and the longer I worked on his hair the calmer he became. So I decided to braid his hair, taking my time with it, running my fingers over his neck a little bit. He didn't need me to do his hair. He needed my soothing touch. I took the band out of my ponytail and used it to secure the braid I'd just made.

Eric finally turned to me and I could finally see him properly. What I saw stunned me. He looked sunburned, and I knew that if I turned off the lights he would be glowing like a beacon.

"I drained her," he confessed, waiting for whatever I would say next. By the look on his face and the sudden chaos of his feelings, I knew he would expect me to go off the deep end.

I remembered Claudine's words, not to judge him too harshly because he was only trying to protect me. I put my hand on his face and stamped down whatever feeling of disgust or whatever words of reproach were trying to bubble up. He didn't need me to make him feel bad about it. He was already feeling out of control and guilty as hell. I loved him enough to help him get out of whatever dark abyss he was mired in.

"Are you okay?" I asked, because that was one always my foremost thought: keep Eric safe.

"Yes. I am healed," he answered, eyeing me cautiously and still waiting for me to say something bad. He looked as if he thought he deserved a verbal lashing.

I got close and hugged him hard. He was okay, and he'd saved my life. He hugged me back tentatively at first, but when he felt that I wasn't going to let go, he hugged me that much tighter.

"Sookie," he whispered my name, and finally, _finally_ his feelings started pointing towards happiness and relief.

We made love slowly, savoring each other thoroughly. We needed it as a reaffirmation that we were both there and we were both safe. The rest could wait.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sam was convalescing in a regular hospital bed in a regular hospital room by the time Wednesday rolled around. It was amazing to see the transformation. In less than a week he'd almost recovered fully from the brink of death. I brought him my famous Sookie's Cookies, fresh from the oven. I knew he'd gobbled them up.

"Sookie, you're too good. How's Eric? I hear he ripped the Shreveport Weres a few new holes," Sam snickered and reached for a cookie.

"He was upset but now he's doing better. You know how he is: he sent them a bill for the repairs to Bill's house. I'm surprised he's not suing for pain and suffering too. He would, just to teach them a lesson," I giggled, remembering how I put together the bill after getting the preliminary quote the day before. The gunshot damage had been extensive, plus dumb Bill had antique rugs on the landing that got soaked with blood. All of that was going to cost an arm and a leg to clean and repair. If the Packmaster had accepted Eric's help from the get go, then Eric would have overlooked the expenses for this damage and simply called Bill's insurance. But Eric was angry. Beyond angry. Eric was piiiisssed…!

I told Sam all of this and he smiled. "I got to thank him, Sookie. From the time I opened Merlotte's he always helped."

That shocked me. "Really?" I reached for a cookie too. "The first night I met him I knew you'd known him, but I didn't know how."

"Eric is very hands-on, as you know. He was sheriff and heard I was opening the bar. Since I'm a shifter, he came to make the introductions and to offer his help. Pretty much he wanted to see what kind of supe I was, but I think I gained his respect when I told him I was a veteran."

"You are?" Boy! The surprises just kept on piling up.

"Yes, I thought you knew," Sam said, looking at me curiously.

"How would I have known that if you didn't tell me?" I said, sounding very much like a normal person. Even Sam gave me a disbelieving look. "I've always made it a point to not listen to your thoughts, Sam."

His eyes widened, as surprised about my revelation as I had been about his. "That explains so much."

"I thought you knew," I said, borrowing his words.

We talked some more until it was time for me to head home. Niall was coming to visit that night, and I needed to drive all the way back to Bon Temps. Once there I made some peach tea, since my previous fairy guests had been partial to it (they'd drunk the whole pitcher – too late I realized they liked sweets of any kind), and cleaned my already spotless house before changing into something other than jeans and a sweater. Eric woke up and joined me, and together we waited for Niall to arrive.

"His fairy scent won't bother you?" I asked. I couldn't fathom how they knew each other.

"No, it doesn't. The Prince is so powerful that he can mask his scent easily. Truly, Sookie," he shook his head in disbelief, "I would have never guessed you were related to a Prince of Fairy."

"Add that to my list of the bizarre," I said facetiously.

Eric snickered. He knew I was fishing for a compliment. He kissed my temple and went to get the door. Obviously his super vampire senses told him that someone approached.

Sure enough, less than a minute later he'd let my great-grandfather and my grandfather in the door. Niall must have lent Fintan some of his magic for disguising his scent, because Eric didn't seem disturbed in the least. I had everyone sitting down in my small living room, feeling very small myself. I was the only one there less than six feet tall. As I expected, the fairies loved my tea and the cookies I'd served with it. We made small talk about the weather, and about Eric's businesses (Niall had asked), and eventually got down to business.

"So, Eric. You gave my great-granddaughter a necklace made of stones that were meant for your protection," Niall said. It wasn't a question, but Eric nodded before Niall proceeded. "Those stones had been touched by Freyja. Did you know that?"

"I had no way to ascertain that, your highness," Eric answered.

"I understand. I don't believe what you did was bad, on the contrary. It shows your affection for Sookie. Honestly, Viking, I did not know you had it in you. Nevertheless, your actions created an enigma. It seems you have been devoted to your gods all the time you have existed. Am I correct?" Niall asked. I looked at Eric and held his hand. He'd never told me he was religious, but that was what Niall was asking.

"Yes, your highness," Eric answered, obviously not bothered by the line of questioning.

"Yes, good. It seems your gods do listen to you, and Freyja has taken a liking to you and to Sookie thanks to you. Sookie's name reaches her ears quite often, Northman."

"I pray for her constantly."

"You pray for her and for other things, things that you lost that you want to have back," Niall said. He was talking in circles, but Eric seemed to understand. He was feeling hopeful. Niall continued, "It's not every day a god or goddess listens to prayers, but said with such fervor and repeated often enough, eventually the gods forget their fickle nature and decide to at least listen. Freyja has been testing you, Viking, both you and Sookie for some time now. The stones sealed the deal for her, apparently."

Eric and I looked at each other, still as confused as ever. Fintan reached for my free hand and gave me a slight smile to calm me. I was beginning to really enjoy being around fairies. Or maybe not just fairies, but my family.

Niall caught on to our confusion, since we hadn't spoken. "You put Sookie above yourself and above all else. It was the proof she needed to know how loyal you were to your chosen mate. And, as you know, Sookie had already chosen you."

I'd heard that before from Claudine, so it wasn't news to me. It was news to Eric though. He looked flabbergasted. It wasn't a look I saw on him often.

Niall leaned forward, looking Eric in the eye. "What is your one true desire, Viking?"

**TBC**

**A/N: I am evil. Yes I am. But I love you all… does that count for anything?**


	44. Pink Ladies

**A/N: **Thank you ALL for your wonderful reviews to the last chapter. I didn't get a chance to reply to any reviews, unfortunately, because this chapter was very important and I spent almost all day on it. I actually was able to do some laundry and eat and stuff. SSSooooo…. Even though it's a short chapter, it answers THE question on everybody's mind. Please know that I DID read every single review as they popped on my email account, and I treasure each and every one of them.

I bet we all wanna hear from our favorite Viking… Well, I do, anyway…

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**Chapter 44 – Pink Ladies**

"Excuse me, your highness. You have spoken to Freyja?" I interrupted. I did not dare voice my one true desire, not until I had some answers.

"It is very difficult for me to speak to the gods," Niall said, straightening in his chair. "I do, however, communicate often with their messengers. Eír did me the favor of explaining Freyja's wishes, and she will help when the time comes. She usually helps our family," he added. I should have known Eír would help the royals of Fairy.

Eír was a lesser goddess of healing and medicine and one of Freyja's sisters. I was just as surprised at her mention as I was at the mention that Sookie had chosen me as her mate. Even more reason for my one true desire to come true, if only to do right by her. I could feel her inner turmoil, and so could her grandfather sitting next to her. He put his arm over her shoulder and her feelings began to settle.

Sookie turned to look at me with a bewildered look. How many nights had I wished to make our love complete? She had given me so much already. Could I ask this of her? I felt a sudden fear. I wasn't human.

"I am not human," I repeated my worry aloud for all to hear.

"You don't suppose your goddess would have overlooked that small fact, do you?" Niall asked. His face broke into a smile as he looked at Sookie, who was still looking at me. "Sookie," he said her name to get her attention, and waited until she turned her eyes to him. "You should know that your family approves of your choice of mate."

"Are we going to have a baby?" Sookie blurted out. I could hear her heart hammering wildly inside her chest and her hand in mine began to sweat. I couldn't tell if she was scared or nervous. She wasn't happy and it broke my heart.

Fintan spoke to answer her question. "You now have the ability to conceive a child with your husband. I know you fear that your child will be telepathic like you, but your fear is unfounded. I will help you, if that were to happen. I would like nothing more than to see my family expand," he smiled, but I don't think Sookie saw it.

She looked back at me. I saw tears brimming in her eyes. "You don't want this," I said. Sookie shook her head, then nodded, then threw her arms around me and began sobbing on my shoulder. I was confused, so I looked up at the other men.

"She's scared but happy," Fintan said in a soft voice, reading his granddaughter's thoughts and rubbing her back.

"Use the necklace on nights you want to try to conceive," Niall said matter-of-factly. "We will leave you now. Call if you need anything," he said standing up. The two fairies showed themselves out.

I rearranged Sookie and had her lie on top of me on the sofa. I closed my eyes and indulged in thoughts of Sookie and our children. I could barely believe my luck. After a thousand years I'd found the one woman I wanted to love above all else, and wonder of wonders she loved me back. She turned out to be much more remarkable and special than I ever dared to hope, and now my love for her would be rewarded with a miracle. My non-beating heart soared, and I wished Sookie could feel the same. She had good reason to be scared, but I hoped she could get over it and trust that all would be well.

"Eric?" she spoke first and started to get up. I let her. We were on her time now. "Eric, I know you want this, and I want to give you this more than anything," she wiped her tears with her hands before I had a chance to reach her with my handkerchief. "I'm scared," she whispered looking down. She was ashamed of her fear.

I wanted to understand. "Are you scared of being pregnant, or of having a telepathic child?"

She smiled through her tears. "I'm sure I can take a pregnancy or two," her face turned back to sad, "but I wouldn't be able to take my children's minds being assaulted the way mine was. Still is."

I pulled her back to me. I didn't know what to say other than to point out that now she had her family to help if she needed it, but she knew that already. I wouldn't insult her intelligence by repeating it. She had given me so much. Would she give me this too? How I wished she would. Nevertheless, I was nothing if not patient.

"Let's take it slow. We have time to think about it," I said, hoping that time was all she would need to be certain.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Pam was taking this Super Bowl mania a step too far. Sookie had supervised the installation of the TV's during the day because she had been adamant that Bruce wouldn't do the proper job and Pam would later be furious. I met up with both my women as they were arguing over what to do during half-time.

"I thought this was settled," I said as I entered my office, where Pam and Sookie were at a stand-off. Sookie's face was flushed from her neck up, and Pam was using her usual stoicism to try to win the upper hand.

"Karaoke during half-time doesn't make sense. People want to watch the show," Sookie said, explaining her point of view.

"Not our patrons. I cannot imagine any of them wanting to watch the Black Eyed Peas," Pam said, waving her hand with an indifferent air.

"Do whatever you want, Pam! I'm going to get dinner," and with that Sookie left. I'd never seen her that mad with Pam.

"What did you do to her?" I asked my infuriating child. I didn't raise my voice. She knew I was mad. Now Sookie was upset too.

"I did nothing other than voice my opinion on the subject. I don't understand it. She was letting me take over this whole night but she took offense when I mentioned the karaoke. And what did _you_ do to her?" Pam asked me.

She caught me off guard with her question. Normally I told her everything, but I couldn't tell her now that the reason Sookie was acting so stressed was because she _was_ stressed. I hadn't asked her anymore about us trying to conceive a child, but Sookie (being Sookie) had taken it upon herself to think about it nonstop. I knew she wasn't sleeping well, and she had turned away from my attentions. Eventually she would tire herself out and reach her own conclusions. In the meantime I had to be patient. I hadn't reached my age by pushing people around.

I didn't answer Pam, so she left to tend to business. Sookie returned with a grocery bag a short time later. Sometimes she stopped at the grocery store nearby and got a frozen dinner to heat up in the microwave in my office. Tonight she'd returned with a frozen dinner and three apples.

She held up the clear plastic bag containing the apples with a triumphant smile on her face. "They had these on sale! I can never find this kind. They're Pink Lady apples, and they're delicious," she said, and took the bag with her to the ladies' room, from the sound of it. She returned patting the apples dry.

I eyed her curiously. Her previous bad humor with Pam seemed to have vanished. "Are you still mad at Pam?" I asked, trying to gauge her mood.

"Um, no. I called her from the grocery store to apologize. I was being stupid. This was her thing, and she has more experience running the bar than me. I don't know what came over me," she said, sitting across from me, eating an apple and looking ashamed.

"You've had a lot to think about lately," I said, trying to make my voice tender. I wished I could have read her mind to know exactly what I could have said to make her feel better.

She was harsher on herself than anybody else would ever dare be. "That's no excuse. It's not Pam's fault I'm a lunatic," she looked up, serious. "And it's not your fault either. Can you forgive me? I'm so sorry, Eric."

"There's nothing to forgive, Sookie. I should be the one who's sorry to put you in such a situation," I said to her. She'd never imagined children with a vampire, and now she had to weigh in my wishes with hers. I could understand it wasn't fair to her.

She stood up and came around the desk, tossing the apple core in the trash can before pushing me back and sitting on my lap. I loved it when she did this. My little Sookie needed a cuddle, and I was only too happy to provide. Paired with the fact that she hadn't sought me in a few days, it made this particular embrace into a reunion.

Sookie put one arm around my shoulder and with her free hand she caressed my neck. She settled her head against my chest and I held her tight against me, caressing her thigh and feeling the first stirrings of lust. I couldn't help but feel this way when she was so close, smelled so good, and I hadn't had her in days. To my amazement she pulled me to her to claim my mouth with hers.

The kiss started tender, a simple enjoyment of her taste and the taste of apple in her mouth. Soon her fire ignited and she was holding onto me like a drowning victim. I returned the kiss with the same kind of frenzy, enjoying her sudden passion and wanting nothing more than to do as she wished. I found the naked skin under her sweater, feeling how warm she had become with desire. I'd never taken her in my office, but I knew I was about to. Before I could fully form the thought she got off me and knelt before me, unzipping my pants and reaching for my cock. She immediately wrapped her lips around it and sucked hungrily. I held her hair out of the way and watched her bring me exquisite pleasure. A few more pumps from her hungry mouth and I spilled everything I had down her throat. She took it all, swallowing my cock and its offering.

My mind was sharp. I knew what I wanted, but I couldn't form the words. Only growls issued forth from my mouth. I watched as she stood and undid the button and zipper of her jeans, and pushed them down past her knees. The heady scent of her arousal was like a drug. I couldn't stand not being inside her one more second. Quicker than she expected I bent her over my desk, finding her slick opening and gliding easily inside. Her tight sheath tightened around me, much as her mouth had done. I reached down to find the little pearl of her pleasure and massaged around it, at the same time that I pumped greedily inside her. I wanted more. I always wanted more.

Sookie was trying her best to be quiet, but her heavy breathing was enough to tell me she was enjoying this. She whimpered, putting her head down on the desk and shutting her eyes tightly. She closed around me like a vise and milked another orgasm from me. I didn't care who heard me. My wife had given herself to me and I wanted everyone to know. My final groan came out loud and desperate until I had nothing left. I had given it all to Sookie.

It took us a few minutes to gather our bearings. Sookie cleaned up in the ladies' room and returned feeling happy and looking tired. She grabbed another apple and sat on the couch. As soon as she had taken the last bite her body gave up and she fell asleep.

"Is she okay?" Pam asked, spying Sookie's sleeping figure curled up on the couch under a blanket I'd put over her. I'd worked all night inside the office and once in a while ended up staring at her. She finally looked peaceful.

"She hasn't slept well these past few nights and exhaustion finally caught up to her," I explained.

"What has upset her?" Pam asked. She was obviously worried.

"I'm sure she will tell you when she's ready," I said, without looking up from the papers in front of me. I knew Pam was waiting for further explanation, but I was unwilling to give it and she desisted.

Sookie barely woke when I carried her to the car, and once home she simply continued sleeping after I helped her undress. She did not even make the attempt to brush her teeth, as she usually did. I was glad that she was finally tired enough to sleep, and hoped she would have pleasant dreams.

The next night I awoke to sounds of Sookie humming downstairs in the kitchen. I explored our bond and found her peaceful and happy. I got dressed quickly, feeling as peaceful and happy as she. I found the kitchen full of apples.

"Did you buy the grocery store, my love?" I asked, picking one up.

"I need them. I'm baking apple pies with those," she pointed at several bowls where she had apples already cut into thick slices, "and those are for me, 'cause I like them," she said pointing at the one I was holding.

I frowned. "Did you eat?"

"Oh, yeah! I had pancakes for breakfast, with honey. Then I went and picked up the apples and everything I needed for the pies, and then I had pizza for lunch. I don't know what to have for dinner. I've eaten three apples since lunch, so I'm not really hungry." She was moving in a flurry of flour, kneading and rolling. I watched as she made her pies.

"Who are you giving these pies to?" I asked, still a little confused about her sudden love of apples.

"I'm keeping one for me, one is for Jason, one for Sam, and I'm sending two to Claudine's house so my cousins can share," she said, topping off all the cut apples with cup after cup of brown sugar.

Sometimes having a better retention of memories served me well. For instance, I knew exactly when Sookie last had her monthly period. It had started the day after I'd recovered my memories. It was too much to hope that she would have become pregnant after only two sessions with the necklace, and there was no way to know if she was pregnant yet. She wasn't due for her next monthly cycle for another five days. I would watch her for now and try not to get my hopes up.

All the pies were in the oven when she walked to me and leaned against me. She took the apple from my hand and bit into it, putting her head on my chest. I hugged her waist, wondering what had changed.

"I was thinking," she started, swallowed and continued, "that I am being scared for nothing."

"How so?" I asked slowly. It seemed like she was ready to talk.

"What are the odds that I'll have a child with my quirk? My dad wasn't telepathic, and neither is Jason, so it's obviously a recessive gene," she looked up at me, to get some sort of agreement. I nodded and she felt safe to keep going, "And even if our child turns out to be telepathic, I'll know it right away and can call anyone in my family to help me out."

"What are you saying Sookie?"

"I'm saying that this is a miracle. We can't pass this up. I can't be dragging my feet about this. What in the world was I thinking? How many times in my life will I witness a miracle of such proportions? A vampire given the gift of children because he had enough faith in his goddess… I can't keep holding this pity party to try to figure out how _I_ feel about this. How do _you_ feel about this?" Sookie looked at me expectant, her face open and loving.

"I feel like someone has handed me the world on a platter," I answered.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Eric! Eric!" I heard my name being yelled as if from far away. I could feel Sookie's distress and woke up enough to shake the stupor of sleep.

"Sookie!" I called to her and got up from bed. It wasn't the middle of the day, but it was still daylight, perhaps close to sunset. I got up and followed her scent. Everything in the bedroom looked dark and blurry, as if I were wading in the murky waters of a swamp. I knew this was because I should have still been asleep, and not because that's how our room looked. I reached Sookie in the bathroom. Was she hurt? Had she fallen?

"Eric! Eric, look! Honey, honey!" I couldn't make sense of the words. I only knew that her heart was beating too fast and too hard, so she must have been in trouble. I grabbed her face, trying to focus on her features. She was crying. She was smiling. She took her face from my hands and replaced it with something small, like a flat cylinder. I couldn't focus enough on what she was trying to show me.

"You're gonna be a daddy! You're gonna be a daddy!"

My world tilted and my knees gave. Sookie tried to catch me but only fell on the floor with me. She was laughing and kissing me, and I was too stunned to do anything but stare at the small thing she'd placed in my hands. I now understood it had been a pregnancy test. My Sookie was pregnant. My Sookie was pregnant with my baby.

**TBC**

**A/N: Awww… the cute Viking fainted!**

**P.S.: I noticed a lot of brand new readers who are catching the story now. To you I say welcome, and I'm sorry, because I know how long it takes to read all 44 chapters. But if you're reading this you've made it this far! !**


	45. How Sweet It Is

**A/N: **Have I told y'all how wonderful I think you are? It is important to tell the people you love that you love them. I love all my readers. That's why I told Eric to send you all his kisses and hugs. Here they go: Viking~XOXO

* * *

**Chapter 45 – How Sweet It Is**

Something wasn't right. My period was very much like clockwork. I knew this because I had to rely on my calendar more often since I'd been exchanging blood with Eric. All my usual bloating and cramping were healed with his blood. But I knew something wasn't right when I missed a day. I didn't dare hope. I didn't want to take a pregnancy test and have it come out negative because I knew it would break Eric's heart. It would break my heart too.

He didn't say anything, but I knew he'd been watching my every move for several days now. I could see it in his eyes. He was cataloguing everything I ate, and taking note of everything I did. He'd been overly curious about my comings and goings during the day. I did my normal things: went to Wal-Mart, went to the grocery store, to the bank, to the post office. During those days the only change in my routine had been my visit to my cousins, actually. All three of them were ecstatic with their apple pies. If I thought it had felt good to hug and kiss my family before, that paled in comparison to when they hugged and kissed me in appreciation.

There were other things that told me Eric was being extra vigilant: we had bathed together every single night since the night I'd made the pies. We'd made love slowly, and if I tried to speed things up, he would take charge and slow them down. He hadn't wanted me to wear the necklace during those times, not that it would have helped with our fertility, since I was past my fertile peak… which made me do a little research only to discover that my fertile peak had been during our honeymoon, when I _had_ used the necklace. It was too much to hope that it would have worked after using it twice.

Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that my body was doing something different, so I went to the nearest pharmacy and bought two boxes of pregnancy tests, each containing two tests. I wanted to make sure. Super vampire sure.

I got the tests home and put off taking them as long as I could. Sunset was approaching, and I didn't want Eric to know I had taken a test, fearing that it would come back negative. I didn't know what had made me fear. We were under the understanding that we would start trying to conceive right after this coming time of the month. Maybe it was my own hope. I didn't want to dash my own hopes.

I went about it very meticulously, reading the instructions twice. I did what I needed to do and swore I wouldn't look at the stick until after I washed my hands. But I peeked as I washed my hands, seeing as the little lines began to appear quickly: first the test line, which immediately developed as a plus sign. Then the control line appeared, so I knew I'd done the test right. At first I was very clinical. The instructions said that even if the plus sign was faint, it still meant it was a positive test. My plus sign was clear as day and very dark. My heart skipped a beat and began pounding inside my chest at double time. I had to catch my breath, taking in big gulps of air. I started feeling dizzy from it all.

"Eric! Eric!" I picked up the little test and called to my husband. I felt like I would faint.

"Sookie!" I could hear him stumble in the bedroom, and at the time it didn't register that it was not time for him to wake up yet. He reached me, taking deep breaths, probably scenting for blood to see if I was hurt. He took my face in his hands, his pupils dilating and contracting trying to focus. I took my face away and put the test in his hands.

Besides calling his name, I'd been speechless. I was finally able to blurt out the first thing that came to my mind: "You're going to be a daddy! You're going to be a daddy!" I said as he stared at the test. I was so happy that I was crying. My Eric, my beautiful Eric. After so many lifetimes alone and lonely, I was going to give him what he wanted most. I was going to have his baby. Our baby.

Shock jolted me through the bond, and I watched as he began to fall in slow motion. I tried to stop him from falling, but all I could do was catch him and fall with him. He looked so stunned that I had to laugh. His eyes were wide as saucers, and his mouth was hanging open. He sat completely still, without breathing, blinking or moving in any way. I kissed him everywhere, trying to bring him back while he kept staring at the tiny test in his hands.

Eric finally looked up from his hands to my face. A small smile began playing at the corners of his mouth. He closed his eyes and let sleep claim him for what was left of the day. I held him in my lap sitting on the thick bathroom rug in front of the sink. He wasn't out for very long, or maybe it didn't seem very long to me. I'd caressed his face and hair the whole time, imagining how beautiful our baby would be with Eric's glacial blue eyes. I imagined a girl with soft golden curls, playing horsy with her daddy. Then I imagined a handsome teenage boy who looked just like his father. I had no fear that my baby would be telepathic. The odds were in favor of normalcy.

When Eric woke up again, he sat up super vampire fast and reached for the test. It was supposed to be no good anymore, but the lines still showed as bright and sure as before.

"Sookie," he said my name in a breath. "You're pregnant?" He seemed to think it had all been a dream.

I grinned and nodded enthusiastically. He threw his arms around me and hugged me tight. His happiness was fierce, and rolling off him in waves. I never knew I had it in me to make another person so happy.

Eric pulled away and held me by the shoulders. He now looked concerned. "Are you all right? How are you feeling?"

I tried to contain my smile, but couldn't. "I'm perfect. Never better. A little hungry, but it's my dinnertime."

Eric smiled too, a big toothy grin that reached his eyes completely. "We need to celebrate. We need to call the doctor. We need to tell Pam…" He stopped talking when I put my finger on his lips.

"You need to kiss me," I said. Everything else could wait. My kiss couldn't.

He understood immediately, caressing my hair before taking my face in his hands once again. "I love you, Sookie," he said, and I couldn't return the sentiment because his lips were on mine then, soft and tender. I took a deep breath, taking in his sweet scent that I liked so much. He continued trailing sweet kisses all over my face while I smiled like a fool.

We were still on the floor, and Eric decided that wasn't good enough. He scooped me up and took me to the bed, making quick work of my clothes after he set me down. He took off his sleep pants (a gift from Santa Sookie), and curled up next to me, kissing my face and rubbing my belly, making me feel self conscious. I didn't have the concave stomach that models have. It was soft and fleshy, and now it would only start getting bigger. I didn't mind it getting bigger to accommodate a baby though.

Eric put his face on my stomach. "Hello in there," he kissed the spot right below my bellybutton. "I'm your daddy, and I love you. I love your mommy too. She's beautiful, wait until you meet her."

I giggled out of pure happiness. Who knew that the big scary vampire that had walked into Merlotte's so many nights ago could be such a softy? He continued his kissing trails, peppering my whole belly with them. I pulled him to me, claiming those kisses on my mouth, while his hands got busy elsewhere. He trailed a lazy finger under my left breast, and just that small touch made my skin flush with sudden desire. He moved his mouth to take as much of my right breast as he could, sinking his fangs on the tender flesh and transferring the faint euphoric feeling of tasting the drops of blood he'd drawn.

A moan escaped my mouth as I arched my back to give him more. He was greedy, sucking and licking at my breast and letting his hand move to my hot center. One long finger dipped inside me to bring the wetness outside to my nub. I tangled my fingers into his hair before he moved away from my breast, to taste me. He hooked two fingers inside me, looking for that sweet spot that would make me scream for him, and kissed my nub before lapping at it gently.

My whole body shuddered when he found the magic spot, and his fingers continued their teasing, while I moaned from the top of the bed. I held his head against my hot core. He would not escape before finishing what he started.

"Eric, Eric, please. Please," I begged for release. I was so close. I panted desperately, feeling my skin erupt in beads of sweat from being so hot. He didn't let me despair anymore, turned his head and sunk his fangs into my thigh, pumping his fingers inside me, making me erupt and let go, crying out in ecstasy.

The moment I regained control of my eyes and opened them, I saw my beautiful husband hovering above me. I felt a thick pressure waiting at my entrance, waiting for permission, waiting for me to be able to enjoy it fully. Eric held my gaze with his, and his gaze was full of love. I moved my hands to his face, holding him and willing my eyes to look as lovely to him as his did to me. How do you transmit love with a look?

Eric and I were one. He moved within me at the same time that he moved me. I fell in love with him again as we made love, my heart swelling to include our baby. "I love you Eric. I love you so much," I said, and repeated, over and over.

We celebrated our sweet moment together, and the pure joy that poured through the bond was overwhelming and just perfect at the same time. In the end he laid half on top of me, whispering sweet words into my ear.

"Thank you so much, my love. You have made my world complete. You are so beautiful, so soft, so warm. I love you, Sookie. I will be a good father, I promise. Our children will want for nothing. We will be a happy family," he laughed, "we'll have six or seven strong boys that will drive their mother crazy."

I laughed. I knew he was kidding. _He better be kidding_. "I don't think so. For all you know we'll end up with six or seven girls and you will have to work full time at keeping all the boys away from them."

He hissed. "Touché, my love. We shall start our family with this one," he pointed at my belly, "and talk more later."

"Pam is going to freak, and I don't think it will be in a good way. At best her first thought will be that I had artificial insemination," I mused out loud.

Eric was quiet for a moment. "We will have to explain it carefully. Nobody else needs to know the true nature of your pregnancy, but your friends and your brother will wonder, and of course Pam is going to freak, as you say."

"I really would like to tell Pam as soon as possible, but keep it quiet from everybody else. Most miscarriages happen during the first trimester, so I would rather not say anything to anybody until after the third month." I was proud of myself. I'd just read all that on Baby Center that same day, while I'd been looking up my peak fertility period.

Eric frowned. "I do not wish to speak of miscarriages." I felt a pang of fear through our bond.

"Well, honey, it happens. I mean, I have high hopes because I don't think your goddess would have blessed us this way to then take our baby away like that," I tried to soothe him.

"Right, right. You are right," he said, trying to convince himself.

"I do need to pick a doctor. I wonder if there are any that will see me at night," I pondered, pursing my lips.

"We will have to call Doctor Ludwig…"

"Do we have to? She's a little creepy," I interrupted.

"Sookie," he said in a warning tone. "I'm a vampire who's having a baby with his wife. We will have to see Doctor Ludwig first, and then see a human doctor only if she deems it necessary."

"Okay," I said and made a face.

"What do you have against the tomte?"

"The what?" I asked. Sometimes he threw words like that at me.

"The, um…" he was struggling. "The brownie. Doctor Ludwig is a brownie."

I started laughing in earnest. "She's a brownie? A _brownie_?" I asked, and kept on laughing. No wonder I had Claudine in stitches when I'd given her brownie points. The two creatures were as different as day and night. Claudine was tall and moved in a graceful, vampire-like way. Doctor Ludwig was tiny and kind of hobbled around. I told Eric the story and he laughed with me.

He made me dinner that night, refusing to let me do anything. He'd even picked out my clothes and helped me dress, going so far as to putting socks on my feet, even though we didn't have plans to leave the house. I didn't even feel pregnant yet. So far the only sign of pregnancy I had was my missed period.

"I'm not an invalid. I can move around perfectly. You get to do this when I'm closer to giving birth and I look like I swallowed a beach ball," I snickered as he joined me for dinner.

"Do you want to talk to Pam tonight?" he asked me some time later.

I thought about it briefly. "No time like the present."

Pam arrived looking happy. "I was bored at home. I didn't feel like going out tonight, but also didn't want to stay home," she said to me. I barely ever heard her express her motivations before.

We all sat in the formal living room, Eric and I sitting on the sofa across from Pam, who was sitting on the loveseat. She actually allowed herself to look curious, so she must have been itching to know why Eric had summoned her.

"Pam, first of all we wanted to give you a gift for watching over Fangtasia during our honeymoon," Eric began, and pulled out the paperwork with all the printouts and information Pam would need. "We got you a ski trip to Jackson Hole in Wyoming. I remembered you had mentioned you'd never seen the Grand Tetons."

Pam looked up surprised, a small smile starting to cross her lips. "I've always wanted to see the Tetons."

I rolled my eyes. Figures she wanted to see mountains shaped like a woman's bosom. "We left the dates open so you can choose when to go, but don't wait too long or you will have to wait until the fall for skiing. We got you lift tickets to several places nearby, so you can choose which one you like best. There's a gift certificate so you can upgrade your equipment or get whatever gear you need."

Pam's eyes got wider and wider as she looked back and forth between Eric and me. I knew Eric had given her gifts before, so I wasn't sure why she was so surprised. "What's wrong, Pam?" I asked.

"Something is going on between you two. Eric is… It's…" she looked at Eric. "You're so happy I can barely contain my own smile and I don't even know why I'm smiling," and she smiled. I should have known that her connection to her maker would give her a taste of what Eric was feeling.

"I am happy. Extremely happy, and that is the second reason we asked you to be here tonight," he said. He looked at me, looking for confirmation or assurance, I didn't know. So I smiled indulgently and let him proceed.

"Sookie and I are having a baby."

Pam's features froze, and turned confused vampire fast. "Whose baby is it?"

"Mine and Sookie's," Eric answered.

Pam blinked. "Sookie cheated?" There's was a hint of accusation in her tone.

Eric started talking too fast for me to catch all the words, and some of them weren't in English. I kept out of it because it was obvious that he was trying to diffuse the situation. Pam had accused me of cheating on her beloved maker. Honestly, I would have thought the same thing if I'd been in her shoes. That would have been my first thought before I started thinking of other possibilities. But, for sure, if I'd been Pam I would have never guessed how we actually became pregnant.

Pam sat speechless for several moments after Eric finished explaining. Her pretty striped sweater in blue made her eyes look almost green for some reason. And now her eyes wanted to bug out of her head. We let her come to terms with the information. She looked at me. "You are pregnant?"

"Yes, Pam. I'm having Eric's baby and you will be an aunt, sort of," I said, and smiled wide because I was imagining Pam with a messy baby in her hands.

"Does that mean you get to have a baby shower?" she asked.

Now it was Eric's and my turn to look at her astonished. "What?" I asked.

"When people have babies they have baby showers. It's when you get a bunch of your friends together and…"

"I know what a baby shower is, Pam. Thank you, and yes, I suppose I get to have a baby shower when I'm seven or eight months pregnant," I said. That's when all my acquaintances from Bon Temps usually had theirs.

"And when will that be?" she asked.

"I'm barely a month pregnant, so…" I did some math.

"August. The baby is due at the end of September," Eric supplied helpfully. Well, look at him! He'd already done the math.

"There's no time to waste. You have to set up a registry and we'll have to close Fangtasia that night. I wonder how many games we can fit in one night… and you'll have to take care of the food because only you will know your aversions. But it will be August, so I suppose the usual summer fare will be acceptable…"

"Pam!" Eric interrupted. I wasn't sure whether to roll my eyes or laugh at her enthusiasm.

"Yes, Master," she said, tilting her head to the side with an angelic smile.

"We told you because you're the most important member of our family, but we will not announce anything until Sookie enters the second trimester. Therefore you may not make plans for a baby shower until I give you permission," he said. I thought that was kind of harsh. She could have started with some of it, I thought. But, if I was the one who was going to waddle around with a baby in my belly, I would be more than happy to let the other two fight as to when or how everything else would be taken care of. Either way, I was happy that Pam's mind had immediately gone to a celebration after she understood everything.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I went to see Jason the next day. I wasn't sure if I was going to tell him anything about my pregnancy, or wait until later. Either way, the official story was that I'd had artificial insemination to conceive, because outside of my fae family _nobody_ would believe anything else. Actually, I wished Fintan would have come with me, so he could meet Jason and explain our whole ancestry. There was no way he was going to believe me without proof. But if he knew of his ancestry and understood the incredible beings that existed side by side with humans, then maybe he would understand the true miracle of my pregnancy and I wouldn't have to lie.

I arrived at his house at about the same time that he's gotten home from work. He waived at me with a genuine smile, the same one he'd given me a week or so before when I'd brought him the apple pie.

"Hey, sis! What brings you here? Everything okay?" he asked, but his smile didn't falter.

"Yeah! Everything's good. Brought you dinner," I said, holding a bucket of fried chicken. I'd had a hankering, and I knew he would share.

"Thanks! I'm starving too, we had to skip lunch today," he said, and told me everything about the new project they were working on.

We sat to eat chicken and biscuits with honey, until I couldn't eat anymore. My stomach became distended with so much food. I really liked fried chicken. I really liked apples too, and right at that moment, even as full as I was, I could have done with a Pink Lady.

"So, what's up with you? How's married life?" Jason asked. He was feeding bits of chicken to Tina, who had climbed her way to his lap.

"Did you lose Tina at the beginning of the month?" I asked.

"No, not at all. She's very much an inside cat, why?"

"I thought I saw her," I said vaguely. "But it was at night, so I couldn't be sure," I finished. I'd have to tell Eric. The goddess had indeed shown herself in a shape that wouldn't scare me. Or maybe she'd sent the kitten to me, to test me, like Niall had said. I'd passed her test, obviously. I'd taken in a baby kitty and fed her tuna.

"Come on, tell me. How's Eric treating you?" he pressed, since I hadn't answered his first question.

"Like a queen, especially lately," I said, waiting for his next question.

"Only lately?"

"No, I said 'especially.' We're very happy Jason. There's some news I have to tell you," I paused, watching his face. It was open, waiting for me to continue. "I'm pregnant."

Jason's eyed widened. "Who's the father?"

"We did artificial insemination," I said quickly. I hoped he wouldn't ask me any questions because I didn't feel capable of lying to him any further.

"Eric wanted this?" he asked. It was a valid question, I thought.

"Yes, he wanted it very much, and so did I," I added, so there would be no confusion.

"So it's your baby for sure," he said. I knew what he meant.

"Yes. You're going to be an uncle. You're going to be Uncle Jase!" I said and smiled.

He shook his head looking amazed before he smiled along with me. He stood up and pulled me from the chair into a hug. He was imagining little blond boys running around the backyard playing touch football with him. Okay, I could take that.

We spoke a little longer until it was time for me to go meet Eric at Fangtasia. I warned Jason not to say anything to anybody yet, that it was my news to give. I knew he wouldn't say anything. Sometimes he wasn't all there in the smarts department, but he respected information of that nature for the most part.

There seemed to be a commotion at Fangtasia that evening. I parked in the back, passing by a limo that was parked out front. When I walked in, Pam appeared by my side, and without a word she put her arm around my shoulder and steered me to Eric's office.

The office was full of people. Pam wove me through and delivered me to Eric, who was standing behind his desk. I finally saw who was there. It was Queen Sophie-Anne, Andre, Mister Cataliades, and a pretty girl with silver spiky hair dressed like a rainbow.

"What's going on?" I asked, looking up at Eric.

"Sookie," the Queen said my name, getting my attention. "I'm afraid I will need your help." She paused, waiting for me to say something.

"Of course, your majesty," I said. I didn't think it would be polite to refuse, even if I didn't know what the favor entailed.

"Your cousin Hadley has disappeared from court and has taken a valuable jewel with her. I need to find them both. I love Hadley very much, and I know she was upset when she took the jewelry. The jewelry was a gift from the King of Arkansas, and I need it back or he will kill me, quite literally," the Queen said. To give her credit, she seemed truly upset when she spoke about Hadley, and her expression had changed to one of disgust when talking about her jewelry.

I hated how vampires simply delivered news like that without letting one absorb the information first. "You want me to find Hadley? I can't read her mind, she's a vampire," I said, a tiny bit confused.

"I know, dear Sookie, but perhaps you know where she might have gone. I'm only asking for help, not a miracle. If you exhaust all your options and still don't find her, I will understand," she said. I hadn't been born yesterday. I knew she meant my options were my fae family, and I knew she was asking me to seek help from them.

Great! What in the world made the Queen think I could find Hadley? Her standard m.o. was to run away, and it always had been. She'd been impossible to find _without_ super vampire strength. Now she could be anywhere.

I shook my head. "Fucking Hadley," I muttered.

**TBC**


	46. On the Road Again

**A/N: **Hello! How y'all doin'? It's been a busy week for me. On Wednesday I had to go to work at 4:30a.m., and then at 6a.m. the days thereafter. Ilovemyjob, Ilovemyjob… So I was able to put this chappie together little by little. I also wrapped up my other FF "Good Fences." So… yeah… busy bee little me.

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**Chapter 46 – On the Road Again**

The rain was pounding against the house and the wind was fierce. One would think we were going through a hurricane, but it was only a winter storm. I cursed my luck because I really needed to go to the post office that day, and I knew I would be cold, wet and miserable while I ran my errands. Of all the days…

My day got remarkably better when I found a notice for a certified letter in our P.O. Box. I'd been waiting anxiously for it, and I could barely believe it had arrived today. I didn't have time to make good use of that letter though. I had to go back home and pack.

Mister Cataliades, who already knew I called him Mr. C., was coming to pick me up that evening. Eric couldn't go to New Orleans, something he found horribly disturbing. I couldn't blame him one little bit. The only way he was going to let me go was to take Claudine with me, and since I needed her help, and due to the nature of my task, she agreed.

"Why can't Eric go? Is everything alright?" Claudine had asked when I spoke to her on the phone.

"Yes, but he lost so much time this month with the witch thing, then our honeymoon… he has a lot of work and Pam is leaving in a couple of days on vacation. Neither of us could in good conscience stop her from going. Anyway, Eric wouldn't want me to be alone during the day."

"I understand. I was only making sure everything is okay between the two of you," she had said. She wasn't surprised that I was pregnant, just feeling extra protective, since now she was in charge of two people: me and the baby.

I packed, paid bills, did laundry, folded laundry, and kept on doing things up until Eric woke for the night. I'd been nervous to show him the letter I'd received. I wasn't completely sure if he would approve.

He moved slowly across our bedroom, eyeing me hungrily in more ways than one. When he caught me he licked his lips, staring at mine. "I missed you," he said, meaning it in a carnal way. "Please tell me we have time for me to pleasure my wife before she leaves me."

"We have about forty five minutes," I said, and brought the envelope up to show it to him. He needed to see it before we engaged in any hanky-panky.

"What is this, dear one?" he asked, letting me go and taking the envelope.

"Read it," I urged, and then watched as he pulled the paper from inside. It was thick and had a seal embossed at the bottom.

Eric read it slowly for him. It took him a whole two seconds. "You did this?" he asked, a smile playing on his lips.

"Yeah… I wanted it to be a Christmas gift, but it took longer than I thought," I said and shrugged. It was a small thing.

"So Stackhouse is your middle name now?" he asked, eyeing the paper again.

"Yes," I stepped back a little and held out my right hand. "I'm Sookie S. Northman. Nice to meet you."

He reached for my hand and pulled me to him, hugging me and still holding the court order that said my new name was Sookie Stackhouse Northman. His happiness filled me through the bond. "You really are mine, huh?" he asked, sounding like me.

"Yes I am. Now I expect you to do the same for me and change your name to Eric Northman Stackhouse, so that we're even," I said and laughed into his chest, hugging him tight too. God! It felt so good to be in his arms.

"I have no issues changing my name for my wife. I change my name often. But won't that defeat the purpose you had in mind, dear one?"

"Yes it would," I said quickly, "and I was just kidding anyway."

He released me just enough so he could put a finger under my chin and tilt my head up. We kissed softly for a long lazy moment, until his lust flared once again and he deepened the kiss. I parted my lips so I could taste his sweet tongue, and my whole body warmed up with the desire to have him.

I pushed him to the bed, watching as he arched an eyebrow and gave me a smug smile. Eric loved it when I took charge. He knew I couldn't resist him, but would never acknowledge that he couldn't resist me either. I took off my clothes in a hurry, knowing we had less than forty five minutes to make love, shower and dress.

"We'll have to make it quick," I said, breathless already with anticipation, plus his hands had started their exploration of my sex.

A low rumble emanated from his chest. "I love quickies," he said, turning us around and making me fall on the bed when my butt hit the edge. It was a tall bed.

Eric stripped his boxers, his yummy gracious plenty saluting as he kept pushing me further into the middle of the bed. He opened my legs wide and settled between them, staring. His fangs were fully out now, his pupils a sea of black, and kneeling above me he looked spectacular. The now familiar heaviness settled way down deep inside me, making me want him so badly I could have cried. His nostrils flared as he smelled my arousal in the air. With one index finger he parted me, tracing a slow line from my nub to my entrance. I was so hot that his normally cool touch felt downright frigid. It made me shiver at the same time that I let out a low moan.

"Beg," he said. I looked up astonished. _What?_ He was stroking his full length with long languid strokes, still staring at me.

"Please," I said, because I wasn't above begging when it came to having my man inside me.

"Please, what? What do you want?"

We were doing this again, and I was no good at this. I gave it my best shot. "Please, Eric, I need you…"

"What do you need and where do you need it?"

_Holy crap!_ He was going to kill me. One of these days I would self-combust. I sat up a little, resting on my elbows, and looked him in the eye. "I need your cock inside me now," I said in a low growl worthy of a vampire.

His answering smile was triumphant. He lowered his whole body against me, never taking his eyes off mine, and let our joining come naturally. His body already knew the way. After a moment he ducked his head to kiss my neck.

"I love it when you talk dirty. You turn me on, Sookie," he said into my ear before kissing his way to the other side of my neck. I held on to his butt of dear life. "You're so wet for me. Do you enjoy my cock inside you?"

"Oh, God! Eric! Yes!" I panted. He picked up the pace, and our bodies started to make the sounds I associated with lovemaking: wet, sloppy, slapping sounds that turned me on even more. I was so hot that the only thing keeping me from igniting was the cool body of my husband. "More!" I cried.

"More?"

"Harder," I qualified, since he couldn't give me any more. Eric complied, and started going faster too.

I moved so that my neck was exposed. I wanted him to bite, to take me that way too. "No," he said, and in a flash he had me on all fours, with him still inside me going as fast and hard as before. He brought me up and presented me with his bloody wrist. I sucked on it greedily, enjoying the warmth as Eric's blood made its way down my throat. It wasn't until I felt the soaring euphoria that I realized that he had bitten me too. I came so hard that I found myself making grunting sounds like an animal. I wasn't alone, either. His answering growl was just as animalistic. Eric's mind invaded mine. His main thought was to keep me safe.

We showered quickly and dressed. We were ready just in time. We got a call from the guard at the community's main gate to let us know that a limo was waiting up front. They weren't allowed inside, much less to see which house Eric lived in. So Eric drove me out to the main gate to meet with the limo.

The cute girl with the silver spiky hair got out from the driver's side and met Eric to take my suitcase. I knew her name was Diantha. She and her sister Gladiola took turns driving and guarding Mr. C., who always had important paperwork that needed to be guarded. These were the two girls that Eric had told me about, the full demons, and he had been right. I thought both girls were as nice as nice can be. I was learning a lot.

While Diantha put my suitcase in the trunk of the limo, Eric grabbed me and gave me a fierce hug. "Come back to me," he whispered. If I hadn't had his blood, I would have never heard him. The sadness and longing I felt through our bond was only a taste of what I would feel while I was gone away from my other half. Sometimes his feelings were so much stronger than mine within me. The sadness was shadowed by his love when he pulled away a little to run his fingers through my hair. "Take care of yourself and our baby. I love you both, so much."

I reached up to caress his face. "We love you too, Big Daddy," I said, which made him laugh. At least I could leave him with a smile. It was a small comfort. We kissed deeply before he let me go.

Diantha held the door open for me, and I sat beside Claudine, who was already there. Mr. C. was sitting on the opposite side. Being a gentleman, he took the more uncomfortable seat and left us ladies facing forward. I watched Eric as we pulled away. His sadness and longing pulled at me as he stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching me too, until the car had to make a turn and he was out of sight. I already missed him, and his longing was the way I knew he already missed me too.

Claudine turned in her seat, grabbing me and giving me a big fairy hug and a kiss. I felt better immediately.

"Mr. C. brought me up to date on everything. Shall I show you?" she asked. We were on a mission. The quicker the mission could be accomplished the better, so she wasted no time.

"Go for it," I said and let her flood my mind with information. Fintan was helping us from the other side. Whatever we found about Hadley when we got to New Orleans, we could then pass to him and he would make further inquiries. We were hoping we could track her, even as a vampire.

The back story was told using Claudine's imagination, since she had never met Hadley, and she could only guess she looked like me. It was kind of funny to see myself as a vampire in Claudine's mind, since she was trying to convey what she thought Hadley would look like. I went ahead and showed her Hadley, except the last image I had of her was of a feral vampire about to attack me. She jumped a little at my side before I adjusted the memory to see Hadley before she'd turned crazy vampire.

Claudine continued with her mental story, using the new image. We were going to Hadley's apartment first, to see what we could find. For some reason she wasn't answering her maker's call, so there was some concern there. The jewel she'd stolen was actually a large diamond attached to a bracelet, and there was a matching piece. The King of Arkansas would expect Sophie-Anne to wear both at an upcoming engagement party, and we needed to find the bracelet. Honestly, I couldn't have cared less about the Queen's plight, but I did care about Hadley, and Eric did care about the woman who had made him sheriff. So I had to do this for two very important reasons: one, to find my cousin who wasn't right in the head, let's face it. Now her maker and lover was about to marry another vampire and she had become a jealous wretch. I could understand, even though she was being stupid. Sophie-Anne's marriage wasn't a love match; therefore her affections for Hadley were not going to suffer.

The second reason, and more important to me in my own humble opinion, was to make sure the status quo remained in vampire politics within the state of Louisiana. If Queen Sophie-Anne was delivered to her final death, the King of Arkansas would take over the state, and God only knew about Eric's safety then. He would be left in a precarious position, and I couldn't allow that if I could avoid it. At best the King would simply make him step down from his post so that someone else could take over. I hated to even consider what the worst case scenario could be.

"Fucking Hadley," I muttered as Claudine closed off the information exchange.

Mr. C. shot me another dark look, like he'd done before in Eric's office when I'd said it in front of the Queen. Claudine smiled indulgently. She knew the story and my feelings on the subject better.

"I'm sorry, Mr. C.," I said, needing to explain. "Hadley thrust me into the world of vampires with her big mouth. I'm very happy now that I'm married to Eric, but things like these," I made a circular motion in the air with my finger, to indicate this new mess, "Things that keep me away from him, they upset me. She made her family suffer when she ran away in her teens, instead of seeking help or accepting the help we offered. She didn't even know her mother was sick with cancer, and my aunt died not knowing whether her daughter was dead or alive. Hadley has given my family nothing but heartache, and now she's doing the same thing to Queen Sophie-Anne."

Mr. C. nodded, understanding lightening his features. Gladiola, who was sitting on the front passenger side next to her sister turned so she could look at us.

"That'smessedupthat," she said in that way both sisters had of talking. I usually had to pause so I could let my brain decipher what they were saying.

"The Queen is very grateful for your help. She also understands you might bear some resentment towards her, but she is willing to pay for your efforts and hope you can forgive her," Mr. C. said.

That just floored me. The Queen wanted me to forgive her? "She was just doing what anybody in her position would have done," I said, being more civil about it than I should have been. "Like I said, it brought me close to Eric," I said, hoping to close the subject.

Claudine, being way older and having more spine than me, I guess, named a price for my efforts. Mr. C. accepted it without haggle or question, and said he would wire the money to my account. It was an outrageous sum, and it wasn't like I needed the money. I thought of giving it to my cousins. They had been putting money together to buy the club where Claude and Claudette worked. They could consider me an investor.

"That's very nice of you. We would repay you," Claudine said in a quiet tone beside me.

"No," I said, and with that I closed the subject.

I fell asleep against Claudine. During the past few days, as my hormone levels had spiked, I found myself feeling exhausted. I'd read all about it on Baby Center, and I was tracking my pregnancy with a calendar personalized for me. I'd set it to send updates every week to Eric's email. He would get a surprise in a few days. He didn't know I'd done that. I woke up because I heard the faint rustling of paper.

"Are you hungry? I got you a burger," Claudine said, holding a Wendy's bag to me.

"I'm starving," I said, rubbing the sleep off my eyes. I noticed everyone was eating. "Did I miss the limo going through the drive-thru window?" I asked.

Everyone started laughing in earnest. "Yes you did," Claudine said between giggles. "You should have seen the attendant's face. It was priceless!"

I ate my burger, the fries that came with it, and the medium Frosty. I felt like a piggy, but I told myself that my baby needed Frosty for the calcium of the milk in it. So there.

We arrived at Hadley's a little after midnight. Her apartment was the upstairs of an L-shaped building. The lights were on downstairs. Mr. C. handed us the keys to the place, and the code for the alarm system. He would wait for us downstairs, and when we were done with a few preliminary things he would take us to a hotel.

Hadley's apartment was decorated like she hadn't lived there long. She probably hadn't. She was probably put there by the Queen when her nuptials got closer. Something was off about it. I wasn't sure how to pin the odd feeling. I cast out a mental net, picking up the loud broadcaster downstairs and a void. I knew who the loud broadcaster was immediately. Amelia, Octavia's witch apprentice. But the void was disturbing. It wasn't moving, and it should have.

"Claudine, there's a vampire here," I said.

"How do you know?" she said, looking around her and scenting the air. Fairies seemed to have similar powers to vampires.

I looked at her confused. "Don't you feel the void of mind? That's a vampire."

She shook her head slowly. She walked forward and positioned herself in front of me. I found it odd that she couldn't sense the voids, but at that moment she could certainly tell something wasn't right. She put both her arms out, one to shield me, one to conjure a sword out of thin air.

"Go tell Mr. C. there's someone here and that I need the sisters," she said, crouching a little as she brought the sword forward to hold it with both hands.

I heard a growl from further inside the apartment. I started walking backwards but my foot caught on something and I stumbled and fell. Faster than I thought possible, Diantha and Gladiola had run past me to stand next to Claudine. Diantha had a little fireball in her hand, and Gladiola was holding onto a long sword not unlike Claudine's.

I felt a pair of strong hands under my arms, and I was pulled up to standing by Mr. C. As he did that I saw the blurry shape of what I knew to be the vampire in residence. He or she was moving too fast for me to see properly who or what it was. It was definitely trying to get to Claudine. She swung her sword wide and the same time that Gladiola swung hers. The body stopped moving, falling to the floor into four pieces of blood and guts. The sudden stench of rotting vampire flesh hit me and I had to walk away immediately, lest I throw up my whole dinner. I also feared it had been Hadley. All I'd seen was a blond head.

_Not Hadley, not Hadley_ came Claudine's comforting thought. I relaxed a little but had to keep moving down the stairs to get away from the revolting smell. I'd only smelled it once, when Eric and Pam had killed the three vampires in front of my house.

I was leaning against the railing, taking deep breaths to keep the nausea at bay. The cold air was helping too. Amelia's mind approached, and I found myself answering her mental question.

"There was a vampire about to attack us upstairs. My cousin and Mr. Cataliades niece killed him or her. It wasn't Hadley," I filled her in. When I opened my eyes I found her standing in front of me. She was eyeing me carefully.

"I knew you did that, the reading the minds thing, but that's just uncanny. Good thing I always say what I mean," she said and then turned her head to look up the stairs.

"Yes you do," I said, having to close my eyes again. She was wondering if I was okay. "I'm fine. Vampires start rotting right after they die, and the smell got to me."

"Again, uncanny. Do you need some water? Why don't you come over here, sit, I'll get you some water." Amelia took my hand and led me to a patio chair set up in front of her apartment. I knew she wouldn't take no for an answer, and I knew she could already tell not all was well in Sookie's world. She had a type of sixth sense, more like an empath, like the girl from Star Trek. She didn't seem to be aware of her gift.

Amelia handed me the water and sat with me. "How's Eric? Everything going well?" she asked. She actually was more worried about me than him, which I found touching in a way.

"He's doing great. Back to his usual scary vampire self, thank you. We owe you so much for your help, you and Octavia. He actually sat down and wrote Octavia a thank you note," I smiled weakly. He'd gotten the idea from me. I was the one who always wrote and sent thank you notes.

"Yes, I know. She shared it with me. He never struck me as the scary vampire kind," she smiled too. She was really pretty now that I saw her without makeup. She was the kind of person who looked very young when they wore no makeup.

Before we could resume our conversation, two official-looking vampires knocked on the front gate. From my vantage point I could see they were wearing something that resembled a police uniform.

"Oh, shit!" I thought **VAMPIRES** at Claudine, over and over, and heard a loud pop inside Amelia's house. I turned to Amelia. "My cousin is in your house hiding from the vampires. I hope you don't mind."

"Fairy?" she asked. I nodded. "No, I don't mind. Let me let the law in and I'll join you in a jiffy. You go on in, too."

Claudine looked uncharacteristically upset. I got close to her and she pulled me in for a hug, probably to make herself feel better with my own fairy proximity. "I'm sorry," I mumbled from her shoulder.

"I don't like killing things. I'd rather hurt them to stop them," she said, "but he was about to attack me or you, and I couldn't let him. He was too close for me to aim any better. I had to take him out or risk injury."

"It was a 'him'? Does Mr. C. know who?" I asked.

She shook her head. "Diantha and Gladiola will give the vampire cops the description of the man. Maybe they'll find that there is a vampire missing, and they'll know who he was." She cocked her head. "That Amelia is shouting, isn't she?"

Claudine didn't mean it literally. She meant Amelia was so excited that her loud mental broadcast sounded like the news at five. We listened to her. The cops didn't have any reports of missing vampires, but would keep an ear out. The description of the dead vampire didn't match any of the vampires that were currently in the area. Mr. C. and the demon sisters were saying that he was about to attack Eric Northman's wife and blood bonded, omitting Claudine altogether. Mr. C. was the attorney; he knew what he was doing. The cops knew there had been a fairy, but Mr. C. explained that the fairy and I were cousins and that Claudine had only shown up at the end. In other words, Gladiola said she had killed the vampire all by herself, because she wouldn't be punished nor her decision to kill him questioned.

Claudine breathed a sigh of relief. "One less worry. I hope we can leave soon. I'm tired."

Amelia came downstairs to her own apartment, which had been decorated more to my taste than to what I had pictured for her. She told us that the vampires had left.

"Mr. C., if it's okay with y'all, I think it's time for Claudine and me to go get some rest. We can come back tomorrow," I said to him, because I was about as tired as Claudine.

He understood. I didn't expect anything different from him. He stayed behind with Gladiola, waiting for the cleaning crew, while Diantha drove us to our hotel. I called Eric from the car and told him everything, because otherwise he would worry about the upheavals in my feelings. Even this far away, I could still feel him. If I could feel him, he could feel me.

Claudine and I shared a room with two beds, but I was missing Eric and she was still reeling from what had happened. So we crawled under the blankets of one bed, like little girls at a slumber party. We shared a bed to make each other feel better.

In all my years on this Earth I'd never had that. Slumber parties were impossible for me. I never had a sister, and Hadley was older than me and therefore not into little girl things that I liked. It took twenty six years of heartache for me to find my true family and what had been missing from my life: unconditional love from a true friend.

**TBD**

**A/N: Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I think Sookie is a bit emotionally stunted because of everything she's gone through. That's why I'm giving her friends.**


	47. Maybe One Day She'll Be Her Own

**A/N: **I'm explaining a lot in this chapter. I hope I don't lose anybody, but if I do please let me know. It's the only way for me to be able to see if something doesn't make sense. It makes sense to me because I'm the one writing it.

The title is part of the lyrics of Tori Amos' song "Girl." It's about Hadley: "Everyone else's girl, maybe one day she'll be her own." I thought it was sad.

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**Chapter 47 – Maybe One Day She'll Be Her Own**

Claudine and I got ready for breakfast quickly. There wasn't anyone demanding our presence, we were just hungry. It was more like a brunch than a breakfast anyway, and since we were on the Queen's dime, we went for the works. I had crepes with strawberry sauce, hard-boiled eggs with butter, a croissant, coffee (it's okay during pregnancy in moderation, I'd checked), juice, bacon, fresh fruit… But my appetite was nothing compared to Claudine's. That girl was putting it away like she meant business.

"It's part of the fairy metabolism," she confided in a low voice. "Remember I told you we have an energy core?" I nodded and she continued, "It takes a lot of food to keep up the energy. Someone already figured out we need about double the calories as a human to be in tip-top shape."

That was fascinating. "So about four thousand calories?"

"Claude probably needs more, since he's a block of muscle," Claudine giggled, then grew serious. "But you can do something no other fairy can do."

"What's that?" I asked, surprised.

"You can sense vampires. That's truly amazing. What do you see?" she looked at me curious.

I thought about it. "It's a void where a mind should be. It's hard to describe." So instead of describing it, I showed her.

"Interesting," she said, and I could hear my mind echoed in hers while she lowered her shields. She seemed to have caught a shifter's mind in the vicinity, or so I gathered, before she shielded her thoughts again. It was great that she could do that. It was like hanging out with a vampire.

"Hello, Claudine. It's such a surprise to see you here. How are you this morning?" The man who spoke was standing a little behind me and to my right, which was very rude of him. He should have moved into my line of vision if he knew his manners.

"Hello, Quinn. It's a surprise to see you here too," Claudine said. If I hadn't known her I would have never known she was forcing her smile. But I did know her. She was uncomfortable.

The man named Quinn moved so he was now in my line of vision. He was huge, by golly! He reminded me a lot of Alcide but wider, and with no hair. If he'd been wearing an earring I would have called him Mister Clean. "What brings you two lovely ladies to New Orleans? Surely not Sophie-Anne's engagement," he said, moving his purple eyes to me. I gave him a polite smile that did not reach my eyes.

"No, Quinn, but I can guess that's why you're here," Claudine said, not wanting to offer any more information.

I was trying to read Quinn's shifter brain, finding it particularly difficult too, when he extended his hand. "I'm John Quinn, Senior Events Coordinator for (Extreme)ly Elegant Events," he said with a smile.

_Tell him you're Sookie Brigant_, came the very loud and very clear intention from the other side of the table. "I'm Sookie Brigant, Claudine's cousin," I said extending my hand. As soon as I touched him his thoughts became clearer, maybe because he was extremely confused (like the name of his business). He was wondering how many Sookies could there possibly be in this world, because Eric Northman was married to a Sookie. Claudine winced very slightly, able to read exactly the same thing I just had.

"My pleasure to meet you, Sookie. Nice to see you again, Claudine," he bent to give Claudine a kiss on the cheek and left the restaurant.

"What was that about?" I asked. My curiosity meter was seriously spiking.

"Quinn and I dated for a little bit. He wouldn't take no for an answer. Ugh! I really didn't expect him to know Eric was married to you. It's not a big deal, but I still don't want to announce that you're here alone," she said, making a face before she let out a big puff of air. "I'm sure he won't tell anyone, and even if he did it would only be to the people who already know you're here."

"Meaning he would tell the Queen?" I asked.

"Yes, or somebody close to her. So it really isn't so bad. I just wasn't expecting to see him here in particular, though I should have known, with the engagement party and all." She shook her head.

We finished our breakfast and caught a cab to Hadley's house. Amelia met us outside when she heard the main gate open.

"Do you girls need any help?" she asked, hoping that we would let her because she was bored at home.

Claudine and I looked at each other and shrugged. This was my party, so I answered. "Come on. We have to scour the whole apartment, so the more the merrier."

Hadley's apartment was once again clean, but still the faint smell of a vampire death lingered. I set to open a few windows to air out the place. At that moment I didn't care about the cold so much as getting rid of the stench completely. I started in one of the closets, the one in Hadley's bedroom, perusing through every box and article of clothing, while Claudine and Amelia busied themselves in the spare bedroom. I found a small safe, the portable kind, and set it aside. I looked through the rest of the bedroom when my search inside the closet turned out nothing. Hadley's jewelry looked expensive, perhaps gifts from Sophie-Anne. Everything was set in real gold, and there were several pieces: necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and a couple of rings. Among the jewelry I found a key. The small safe only opened with a combination, so I was out of luck there. I pocketed the key and went to find Claudine, carrying the safe.

"What do you think?" I asked, holding out the safe to her.

She took it from my hands, holding it in both of hers. Amelia and I watched as the box shimmered and disappeared, landing on the floor below Claudine's hands. Claudine was holding on to the contents. She had made the box disappear from _around_ its contents.

"That is awesome!" I jumped. "And I can't even make a candy bar appear!"

Claudine and Amelia laughed at me before we all turned our attention to the contents of the box. One was a piece of paper with information for a safe deposit box at a bank. That sounded promising. "I wonder if this key will open the safe deposit box," I said out loud, getting the key from the pocket of my jeans.

"Maybe. Keep it near just in case," Claudine said. The rest wasn't all that interesting. No large diamond set into a bracelet, for instance.

We made our way to the living room and kitchen. I started looking through the cabinets, finding nothing at all. Of course, Hadley was a vampire. Inside the last cabinet, the one closest to the fridge, I did find two cans of coffee unopened. I frowned. Why in the world would Hadley keep coffee? Maybe she was like me and loved her coffee, but did she remain a coffee lover as a vampire? Highly doubtful. There was no coffeemaker in the kitchen, or any other accouterments needed to brew coffee. There weren't even any cups.

I pulled the cans down and opened them. There were both still sealed. Again, odd. Even if Hadley had wanted the coffee to enjoy it purely for aromatic reasons, she would have peeled the lid back. So I did. Or tried. It wasn't giving as it should have. I smelled a rat.

"Claudine, can you open this?" I asked, holding out the can. Both girls approached, looking at the can with different expressions of confusion on their faces.

"You want coffee now?" Claudine asked, knowing my affinity for it.

"No," I rolled my eyes. "There is no reason for a vampire to keep two cans of coffee unopened, and this can isn't opening easy as it should. I suspect foul play."

"Alright, Miss Marple." Claudine's confusion cleared as she took the can. She made opening it look easy, while I had struggled as if it had been Crazy Glued. "It's just coffee," she frowned, but then reached inside. Her eyes widened as she took her hand out.

Tangled in her fingers we saw the largest bracelet I'd ever seen. It was thick white gold or platinum, with a giant diamond set like a charm dangling from it. "The bracelet," Amelia breathed.

"I'll call Mr. C.," I said, getting my cell phone immediately and calling the attorney.

Okay, so now I had saved the Queen and her husband-to-be would see she had both pieces, marry her, hopefully not kill her, etc. That still left the problem of having to find Hadley, for no other reason than the fact that she was my cousin and Adele Stackhouse had taught me better than to just forget about her.

Mr. C. arrived with his nieces, looking all kinds of relieved when we gave him the bracelet. "The Queen will be most pleased," he said, handling the jewel carefully.

Just as we were leaving, the tall and burly John Quinn showed up. When he stood in the doorway of Hadley's apartment he obscured all the light that filtered in from the outside. I could have sworn he had to enter sideways to fit through the door frame.

"Mr. Quinn, good to see you. This is where it all happened," Mr. C. said to Quinn. The two men shook hands in greeting.

"Wait! Where what all happened?" Amelia piped up and moved forward.

"One of my employees went missing a few nights ago after he was sent to pick up the woman who lives here. He never returned, and she never showed up to the party. Mr. Cataliades thinks that he fits the description of the vampire that attacked last night," Quinn explained.

Hm! Hadley made a vampire child. And now he was dead. Not only was he dead, he had died the very night he would have woken up as a vampire for the first time. If that was the case, where was his maker? Where was Hadley? I knew enough now to know that makers didn't leave their children to fend for themselves for months, even years. Eric had cared for Pam for about fifty years before they parted ways. Godric was still taking care of Chris. Hadley was a pain in my behind, but she was otherwise not mean. I didn't think she would have left her vampire child by himself on the first night of his awakening.

"Something happened to Hadley," I murmured. Every eye in the room was trained on me. I told everyone my theory about Hadley making Quinn's employee her child. The motive for it escaped me, other than she was feeling lonely perhaps.

Quinn looked at Amelia. "Do you mind? It will only take a minute," he said.

Amelia stood aside and made a motion with her hand for him to proceed with whatever task he'd set for himself. He stuck his nose up in the air and opened his mouth, scenting the air like a cat, like Eric did sometimes. Except there was a difference: Quinn's eyes turned from purple to yellow, with slits for pupils, very much like a cat's eyes. I scooted closer to Claudine and she put her arm over my shoulder to calm me down. What kind of shifter was Quinn? Whatever he was, he must have been massive. Maybe a lion or a leopard.

"Tiger," Claudine whispered in my ear. My thoughts turned to Sam, who could turn into anything he wanted. I wondered if he could also turn into a tiger. "Yes he can," said Claudine in another whisper.

We all watched as Quinn made his way to Hadley's light-tight bedroom. When he came back he was shaking his head sadly. "He must have turned in the bedroom, but it was definitely him."

"I'm sorry," Claudine said. "He was about to attack me and Sookie, and I had to protect her."

"IgothimtooIdid," Gladiola said, walking forward. "Ifshehadn'tkilledhim, Iwould've."

"I understand. I don't think he would have ever wanted to live as a vampire. He was a Were," Quinn explained to be met with a collective gasp.

"Why would Hadley do such a thing?" Claudine asked to no one at all.

In the end it didn't really matter. The man was dead, and I didn't even know his name. Hadley had made him a vampire, even though he was a Were. From the room's reaction, I could tell that was a big no-no. Then Hadley failed to take care of him. Now I needed to find her for a different reason. The man's family needed answers, something, anything!

"We need to go to that bank," I said to Claudine and Amelia. They both agreed by nodding and after seeing everybody out of Hadley's apartment, we piled into Amelia's Mustang as she drove us to the nearest Bank of America.

"We're like the Three Amigas," Amelia said as we walked into the bank. It broke the tension and made us laugh. "I would call us the Three Musketeers, but only Claudine gets to use a sword."

I was allowed to enter the vault and look at Hadley's box because I'd been named beneficiary of her estate. Okay, great. If she had met with final death then I would return all that she had to Sophie-Anne, so whatever. I would return everything but what I found in the safe deposit box: My Aunt Linda's obituary, Gran's obituary, Hadley's birth certificate, the birth certificate to one Hunter Savoy (which almost made me faint when I saw the name of the mother), a marriage certificate and a divorce decree only one year later to Remy Savoy, and the court findings regarding Hunter's paternity, custody, and visiting arrangements with his mother. I did a quick calculation. Remy Savoy had been granted full custody of Hunter when the boy was only four months old. Hadley had left her baby behind. Tears started to smart my eyes wondering if I could ever leave my baby, and I felt a horrible pain wrench my soul. How could she?

Claudine must have done her fairy thing to someone, because she appeared by my side a few moments later, even though she wasn't allowed inside the vault. She had been reading my mind the whole time.

"Well, now I know how she was able to leave her vampire child. She left her biological child behind," I shook my head and wiped my eyes with the sleeve of my sweater.

"You and I both know she would have never been in a position to care for a child. You're so much stronger than she ever was. So now we need to find her, help her," Claudine said.

"Do you think she went to see Remy Savoy?" I asked, showing her the paper.

"I don't know, but it's worth a try. Let's call Fintan and let him handle it. You and I need some girl time on the Queen's dime," Claudine said, taking papers off my hands and replacing them inside the safe deposit box.

Claudine invited Amelia to hang out with us. We were thinking spa. Claudine had a horrible night the day before, I'd just gotten a shock, and Amelia deserved something nice for helping us when it really wasn't her problem. True, she was Hadley's landlady, but other than that she could have just as easily stepped aside.

We all got massages and facials, and mani-pedis. In conversation we told Amelia I was pregnant, but didn't say how. She figured it out anyway.

"Freyja's stones?" she asked.

"How did you know?" I asked.

"She's the goddess of fertility, and she came to lick Eric's chin. A goddess won't lick just anybody's chin, you know?" Amelia said and snickered. We were getting our nails done by then, gossiping like old women.

"So what's the story with that Quinn?" Amelia asked Claudine. Right then I knew Amelia was definitely an empath. She could see things others couldn't, or more like feel them. Right then she was remembering how Claudine had seemed ill at ease when Quinn showed up. Claudine's features hadn't changed. I knew this because I'd been watching her, making sure she was okay with Quinn there.

Claudine understood immediately and knew she'd have to answer. "Quinn and I used to date. But I don't put out, and he was all about the sex. It didn't work out. Unfortunately I have to see him too often for my tastes because of what he does."

"He does seem like he would be a tiger in bed," Amelia mused, sending me into a fit of giggles. Amelia didn't know why I was laughing. She didn't know what Quinn was other than he was a shifter, but I would have to tell her later. There were too many humans at the spa. Talk of a goddess in New Orleans: that was regular gossip. Talk of a weretiger: that was something else entirely different.

"Let's go shopping!" Claudine said when we were done. "After lunch, that is. Sookie's looking like she's about to die of starvation."

"Maybe not, but my stomach is sure having homicidal thoughts," I said, hearing it grumble and complain.

For the first time in my life I felt normal: a normal 26-year-old doing normal things with her girlfriends. Amelia was such an open book that it really didn't bother me to be inside her head. She meant what she said and said what she meant, and didn't have any problem saying what she thought out loud if the need called for it. As a consequence, I didn't find myself staring at her blankly reading her mind and listening with my ears. I'd seldom encountered people like her. Claudine, of course, was completely closed unless she decided to open up. In my world, that was as close to normal as I could get, with the exception of hanging out with Pam or my Eric.

My Eric. I did miss him, even though it was nearly two in the afternoon and he was sleeping. I missed the comfort of having him nearby. But I put on my big girl britches and made a concerted effort to enjoy the time with Claudine and Amelia. How often did I get times like these?

We had a hearty lunch and then went shopping. I needed to walk off the apple pie I'd had for dessert. I still had a thing for apples.

"We were the lucky beneficiaries of Sookie's apple craving. She baked five apple pies one night and brought two to our house," Claudine told Amelia.

"I should have known I was pregnant when I got that sudden craving. I still have it. I bought so many apples that Eric asked me if I'd bought the whole store," I laughed. I hadn't bought the whole store, but I cleaned them out of all the unblemished Pink Lady apples I could find.

We spent several hours shopping, mostly window-shopping, though Claudine did make me buy a dress for the Queen's engagement party. We weren't sure if I was going because Eric wasn't sure if he would be able to make it, and I wasn't going by myself, Heaven forbid.

"But if he suddenly decides to go, you'll be ready," Claudine argued.

Amelia, the native, took us to a little boutique hole-in-the-wall type of place where I found the cutest dress. It was a simple sheath with a wide belt, in a silvery metallic fabric. I tried it on and the size 8 fit perfectly. I had the perfect high-heeled sandals at home, the same ones I'd worn for my first date with Eric. My ruby earrings wouldn't exactly match, but Amelia said they would be perfect, and I trusted her.

I yawned into my hand as we walked back to the hotel.

"I think Viking Junior wants his mommy to take a nap," Amelia giggled.

"I think you're right," I said, unable to contain another yawn.

The girls delivered me to the hotel room, where I fell asleep the second my head hit the pillow. I didn't even care that they had stayed in the room watching TV. It was easy for me to fall asleep with other people around, like when I made good use of Eric's couch in his office. The funny part for me was when I incorporated what I heard into my dream. As soon as I woke up from my nap, I knew Fintan was there, because I'd had a dream about him.

"Hello, Sookie," he said when he saw my eyes flutter open.

"Hi, Grandpa Fintan," I said half asleep still. I'd never been sure what to call him, and in my sleep addled state I picked the first thing that came to mind.

He chuckled and sat on the bed beside me. He took my hand and kissed it. It was a familiar touch, something Gran would have done. "I hear you will be adding to our family soon."

I nodded, rubbing my eyes. "I'm due in September."

Fintan put his hand on my cheek. His smile was full of love, but he looked sad. "I should have met you sooner. I thought that our meeting would have interfered with your life, when in truth we could have avoided so much of the bad things that happened to you and Hadley."

Talk of Hadley made me take notice. I finally sat up so I could give him my full attention. "Did something happen to her?"

Fintan looked at Claudine, which made me look at Claudine too. Her face was somber. I felt the bottom drop from my stomach. _Oh, no! Not again…_

"We can't find her anywhere. Father and I believe she is no longer of this world," Fintan said.

"No longer of this world," I mumbled. That meant she was dead, didn't it? I looked down at my hands on my lap, unable to keep the tears at bay. I'd been mad at her, just like I'd been mad at Bill, but I didn't want her to die. "Who killed her?"

"Look up, Sookie," Fintan commanded in a tone that sounded almost mad. I obeyed. "This isn't your fault. Hadley was a damaged child and you had nothing, _nothing_ to do with that. Later in life she was free to make her own choices, and she chose wrong, using her abuse as a crutch. There's only so much one can blame on the past. She never took responsibility for the rest."

Fintan was right. I hadn't let my own abuse dictate the way I would behave as an adult. Granted, Hadley had suffered more than I had. I still couldn't shake the burden of wishing evil upon her. At most I'd wanted her to find all four of her car's tires flat one night. I never wished her physical injury.

My grandfather shushed me and hugged me. As always, whenever I hugged my fairy family, I felt better immediately. I was filled with a sense of peace and comfort. It was the reassurance of kinship, I supposed. Whatever it was, it made me feel whole.

"I called Mr. Cataliades and told him. He said he's going to make sure there's an investigation into Hadley's death," Claudine said. I was sure if Mr. C. didn't do it, then the Queen would launch the investigation herself. "In the meantime, Amelia went to make sure the apartment is completely closed to anyone uninvited. Since it doesn't belong to a human, anyone can enter it."

I nodded. That made sense. "How long was I asleep?" I asked looking around me. It was well past six. "Oh, my word! I have to call Eric!"

I jumped from the bed and took the phone to the bathroom with me, because my bladder was not going to wait for me while I talked to Eric. He would just have to listen to me pee.

"My love, you must have read my mind. I was about to call you," he said as soon as he answered the phone. Then with a mocking tone he asked me if I was in the bathroom.

"I couldn't hold it while I talked to you, and I need to tell you everything that happened," I said. I told him about the Were, how Hadley had turned him and left him to fend for himself, what I'd found in the safe deposit box, and what Fintan and Niall had found about Hadley. I skipped the spa and the shopping trip. He didn't need to know about that at that very moment.

There was silence on the line for a moment. "I want you on the first plane out of New Orleans. Tell Claudine, and get both of you home right this second. If someone killed Hadley it was to upset the Queen, and nobody wants to upset the Queen more than the King of Arkansas. You're too close. I want you out now."

"We're gone," I said. We hung up after a couple more instructions, and when I returned to the bedroom I found Claudine already packing our bags. Sometimes mind reading came really handy.

**TBC**

**A/N: In the next chapter, some reunion nookie. I hope I'm not giving too much away. :-D**


	48. Homeward Bound

**A/N: **For those of you who may not know, I started a new FF. It's unlike what I've done before, angsty, but I can't stay away from romance, so it will be that too. It's called "The World is a Vampire." So far I only have the Preface, a tiny taste of what's to come. It's AU and OOC. If you like, please check it out.

* * *

**Chapter 48 – Homeward Bound**

The front desk clerk at the hotel had made a mistake. They charged my personal card for the meals and the trip to the spa. So Claudine and I were patiently waiting for the error to be corrected. Fintan had stayed with us. He would pop away as soon as he had delivered us to the airport safely. I took the opportunity to text Amelia and tell her we were high-tailing it out of New Orleans, and to please call me if she needed anything. I was sure I would have to return earlier rather than later, but when I did it would be with Eric.

"My night is complete for the sight of you two lovely ladies," said the purring voice of one John Quinn. I knew it was him because his shifter brain was unlike any other. It had a special flavor, if you will.

Claudine and I turned around in synch, and I was suddenly very glad that, although my family wasn't as huge as Quinn, they were still bigger than me. And probably stronger than him. He was staring at me with open curiosity. It was the kind of look I got a lot when I waited tables. It was the kind of look that, if it had been on a human, it was because that human was wondering my bra size and how good I could give head. I shivered involuntarily and looked away to Fintan, who looked like he was about to tear some limbs.

"What can we do for you, Quinn?" Claudine asked, making Quinn tear his gaze from my body.

"I'm a little disappointed to see that you're leaving, and that Miss Sookie won't stay for the Queen's engagement party," he said, turning his gaze back to me. _Shit!_

"Why would I stay? My business here is done," I said as politely as I could.

"The Queen requested that you attend the party," he said, and handed me a thick envelope. "I mentioned I had met you, and she seemed quite fond of your other cousin Hadley. It would be her pleasure for you to attend the festivities," Quinn said, putting emphasis on the word "pleasure."

"I will have to check my schedule, and if time permits I will attend. Right now I have to get going or I will miss my plane," I said, and tucked the envelope into my purse. Thankfully the front desk clerk had picked that time to return with the correct printout with the charges to the right accounts. I signed for my things and grabbed Fintan's hand. I was feeling very upset at the knowledge that the Queen had required me to attend her party and I needed a fairy's touch.

I'd talk to Eric. Maybe he'd been required to attend as well. Or, even better, maybe he could get me out of going.

"Good night, Quinn," Claudine said with a smirk.

A car was waiting for us, just like Eric had said he would do. It took us to a private airfield nearby, where a small plane was also waiting for us. The pilot took our bags while we said goodbye to Fintan.

"I will look in on Remy and Hunter. Hunter is my great-grandson, after all," Fintan said after giving me a big hug and a kiss.

"Please keep me posted. I'd love to meet them someday," I said. Maybe the two cousins could meet sometime, Hunter and my baby, although Hunter would be four years older.

After Fintan promised to let me know about them, Claudine and I boarded our plane. We'd be in Monroe in an hour. From there a car would take me home to Bon Temps, and another would take Claudine home.

Claudine started pacing around the plane as soon as she could. I was munching on Cheetos and watching her. "What's wrong?" I asked when I couldn't take her pacing anymore.

"It's very strange for Hadley to want to turn someone," she answered, voicing her worries. "She wasn't the kind of person who would have thought that way. She seemed selfish, or maybe not selfish but self-centered. I don't know…" her voice drifted. She stopped pacing and stood with her hands on her hips, looking as lovely as ever even in her confusion. "I smell a rat."

Well! Whatdayaknow? I was always smelling rats around vampires. I guessed it was a fairy thing. "Me too," I concurred.

"I've been around for a long time; long enough to agree with Eric that whoever killed Hadley is out to upset Queen Sophie-Anne. He's absolutely right. Hadley was her new favorite. I'm certain that the King of Arkansas wants to cause trouble for the Queen, even if he goes about it in a roundabout way. Without us, once Hadley was dead, the bracelet would not have appeared. The King would have questioned the Queen's intentions and future fidelity, there could have been a war, and all hell would have broken loose. And, ultimately, that's what he wants. You should not go to that engagement party," she said, looking me in the eye.

No argument there. "I don't want to go. But I may have to go. I'll talk to Eric. I still have Freyja's stones. I'll wear them even if they don't match my new dress," I said, hoping that if push came to shove, the stones would indeed protect me as they should. They had already worked a miracle. I had no reason to question their power.

"Good, good. Wear the brooch too, even if you put it in your underwear. If I feel something I'll pull you through. It will take slightly longer than you pulling me, but it should work if all else fails," she said, making contingency plans in her head.

"Pull me through? As in pop me to another place?" I asked.

"Yes, that's the idea. You pulled me when that one witch tried to put a spell on you at the grocery store. True, I arrived where I wasn't supposed to, but it still worked."

"Oh, okay," I said. I understood some of it.

We arrived in Monroe at close to ten in the evening. The flight had only taken an hour, but must have cost a fortune. However this was one time that I didn't care, would not check, and didn't blame Eric for the expense. He wanted me out of New Orleans, Claudine wanted me out of New Orleans… heck! I wanted me out of New Orleans, and now I was out of New Orleans. Piece of (very expensive) cake.

Claudine and I parted ways, with me thanking her profusely, and her extracting a promise of more pies from me. If that's what she wanted as payment, that's what she'd get. I called Eric from the car to let him know I was on my way home.

"I will join you as soon as I'm done at Fangtasia," he said. I knew he would drive too fast.

"Just please take it easy. I'm not going anywhere once I get home." If anything I was going to shower, change into the most comfortable nightgown I owned (my ratty Mickey Mouse one) and watch TV while I waited for him… maybe take another nap.

And by golly, that was exactly what I did. The only difference was that I became hungry again, so I had to heat up a frozen dinner, which was all I had at that house. I texted Eric to bring me apples. _So it begins_, he texted back.

I sat in front of the TV eating a Marie Callender's chicken pot pie, and not finding much by way of actual programs to watch. I ended up drifting to the movie channels. They were showing _Ocean's Eleven_, the best "Ocean's" movie. So when I was done eating I snuggled to watch all the beautiful men that starred in the movie.

"I always find you sleeping." I jerked awake to see my darling husband crouched beside me. I'd fallen asleep alright, in the worst position. Thank goodness I'd just had Eric's blood the day before, or I would have a crick in my neck.

"Hi, honey," I said and stretched. I felt a wandering hand touching my breast while I… sort of… pushed the girls out.

"You can make Mickey Mouse sexy, dear one," he said, running a lazy finger around and around my nipple. He rearranged his body from the crouch to kneel next to me, and bent to claim my mouth. I had missed him. We'd only been apart one day! But he tasted and smelled of home. Eric was my home.

His hand drifted to pull the blanket off me and to lift my nightgown up. His other hand got tangled inside my hair. My hands weren't idle either. I found myself lifting his sweater, the blue one I'd given him. Too soon he broke the kiss and moved his face to my belly. "Hello, baby," he kissed the spot right below my bellybutton and made me giggle. "It's Daddy. I missed you," he whispered. Yep! Definitely something he'd never live down if Pam saw him now.

Eric continued tugging my panties down and off, moving so he could plant some kisses at the same time that he nuzzled my curls. "Daddy missed Mommy too," he said, before a growl escaped him. I held onto his sweater while he ran a lazy tongue through me, tasting me and making me squirm. I lifted a leg onto the back of the couch to allow him better access, while he pulled my other leg up over his shoulder. He was settling in for a feast.

I let out a low moan and moved my hands to tangle my fingers through his hair, watching his head bob up and down tending to my center with soft strokes of his tongue. Each cool lick made my body hotter, and soon I had to take off my nightgown completely and let the cold air soothe my incensed skin. I pulled on his sweater, so I could at least touch his bare arms and shoulders.

I felt one long finger probe me and enter, and my whole body clamped down around it. I relaxed as another finger entered me, searching for my secret spot. When those naughty fingers found it I howled in pleasure as I threw my head back. My cries were timed with each stroke. Eric let out a low rumble against my core, making my whole body vibrate as my bliss built inside me. One more stroke of his fingers and I burst. "Eric! Eric!"

Eric rumbled some more, lapping placidly at my center, making me shake every time his cool tongue met my now over sensitive skin. I pulled on his hair to make him stop. I needed a break. I sat up against protestations that lacked any coherency, so he had to sit up too. We switched positions, with him lying back on the couch, and me kneeling before him. I peeled off his jeans and his underwear, kissing the naked skin I revealed, and watching his gracious plenty twitch at feeling neglected.

I stroked him and watched him. He was smiling with his fangs fully extended, looking more like a devil than a man. I smiled back, and licked the tiny drop of fluid that had formed on the tip. Eric was so excited that the little hood was almost completely pushed back off the head. I pushed it down all the way, revealing the whole head for my pleasure. I scraped my teeth (not too hard) over the soft flesh, making him hiss. I ran my tongue around and around, coating it with saliva, and watching Eric hold on to the couch. I could only guess he wanted to prolong the enjoyment of my mouth on him, rather than just take me. My turn on was seeing him at my mercy.

A long low growl told me Eric was enjoying my attentions. I kissed "the babies," giving them a good licking too so _they_ wouldn't feel neglected, and stroked him with my free hand. I was becoming more comfortable touching Eric as he touched me, exploring as he explored me. He didn't let me continue any of my explorations, lifting me under my arms and pulling me to him. I understood that to mean he wanted to be inside me. I straddled him, one leg up on the couch, the other on the floor. He sat up and guided himself inside me, grabbing my bottom and helping me move. I could see how he disappeared inside me. I could see how he brought me pleasure.

I wrapped my arms over his shoulders and crushed my lips to his, pricking my tongue on a fang as I tried to invade his mouth. Eric sucked on my tongue greedily, until his own saliva sealed my wound. I pulled away and did the same thing with my thumb. Between the euphoric feeling of his taking the tiny bits of blood, and the immense bliss of having him inside me, I knew I wouldn't last long. I wanted release. My body was trembling with the need for it.

"Sookie… Sookie," Eric was the one begging now, and I couldn't hold on to reality anymore. His cries of pleasure pushed me over and I came with a scream behind closed lips. I was barely aware of him burying his face at my neck, and never felt the bite, only the purple euphoria and the joy of being one.

I was rubbing my face against his shoulder when I came back to myself. It was something I'd learned from Eric. I kissed his neck over and over, letting him hold me tight against his body. He was breathing hard. He moved his face to nuzzle my neck, probably where he'd taken blood, I wasn't sure. It took us a while to be able to let go.

"You can't leave me again," he said as he let go of me reluctantly. I started picking up clothes.

"I wasn't gone that long, only a day," I said, but I was feeling the same way.

"It doesn't matter. It was too far. Blood bonded pairs shouldn't be that far apart," he said. He seemed to be struggling with his underwear, like he couldn't make heads or tails of it. It was kind of funny. I giggled. "What is funny?" he asked frowning at his underwear.

"You're all discombobulated. I almost never get to see you like that," I said, and took his underwear to put it right side out. I held it out to him, but he caught my waist and made me return to him.

"I'm no good without you. You have bewitched me," he said, and started kissing my neck. Sure enough, he started feeling frisky again.

He made me lie back down on the couch and took me again. This time it was slower, less lustful and more loving. At the very least our baby had two parents who truly loved each other. Our climax wasn't loud or fierce, but it was still divine.

"We have to talk," I said, caressing his hair. He was draped over me, skin to skin.

"Do we have to?"

"Yes, because the Queen wants me to go the engagement party for some ungodly reason, and the party is in a couple of nights," I said, sounding a little pissed about it, maybe because I was. Hadley was still causing havoc, even after meeting her one true Maker.

"Shit," Eric said, putting his forehead against my breastbone. "How did this come about?"

I told Eric about Quinn meeting us at the lobby of the hotel, and that he had probably guessed I was the same Sookie married to Eric. I told him about the invitation that was in my purse. Eric got up and retrieved it. I hadn't opened it, so he did. After reading it he handed me a handwritten note that had been tucked inside the actual invitation.

_Dear Sookie,  
__Thank you for finding and returning my favorite dress. As a show of gratitude I would be extremely pleased to have you at my engagement to the King of Arkansas. Please accept this invitation, which is also extended to your esteemed husband.  
__Sincerely,  
__Sophie-Anne Leclerq, Queen of Louisiana_

I looked up from the note with a question in my eyes. Eric was shaking his head and started pacing in that way he had. "We have no choice. We have to go," he said. "Okay, alright. I'm going to make some phone calls," he said, took his phone and went to the kitchen. I knew better than to follow. He needed some room.

"Favorite dress," I said out loud. Obviously code for finding her bracelet. If the note was intercepted, no one would know what Sophie-Anne meant. The wheels in my head were turning sluggishly. I was tired and hungry.

Eric returned just a few minutes later, bearing an apple. He sat next to me, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. He liked to do that, I'd noticed. "We have to go, but we're not staying any longer than we have to. We'll fly there in time for the party, and fly back the moment it is over. I suspect the Queen mentioned you as one of the kingdom's assets and therefore you have to make an appearance."

"Terrific," I said sarcastically, and bit into my apple.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I was wearing my brand new dress, Freyja's stones, and a brand new black dress coat, a gift from Eric. Eric looked good enough to eat in a tuxedo. God I just loved him in anything! I'd almost made us late because I couldn't keep my hands off him dressed the way he was. He'd had way more strength to resist me than I did to resist him.

"But trust me," he whispered in my ear as we boarded the plane, "on our way back I will be fucking you out of that dress right inside this airplane."

I needed new underwear.

We arrived in New Orleans at the same private airfield I'd left from just two nights before. A car took us to a converted old church, which now belonged to Queen Sophie-Anne, and was where she held most state functions. A quick glance around me told me that I was dressed just right, and my thick stone necklace wouldn't stand out. I had my brooch attached to the inside of my bra.

At the entrance to the old church, we stood in line to congratulate the two monarchs on their upcoming nuptials. The line moved slowly and I was cold. Eric tried his best, but other than putting a protective arm around me, there wasn't much he could do for me. We reached the coat check, and Eric was the gentleman and helped me out, pocketing the ticket for my coat.

Eventually we reached Sophie-Anne and her husband to be. "Sookie, dear!" she said. She looked truly pleased to see me, grabbed my shoulders and brought me in to her to kiss my cheeks. She did the same to Eric, but he already knew what to expect.

"Peter, darling, I'd like you to meet Eric Northman, Sheriff of Louisiana's Area 5, and his wife and blood bonded Sookie Northman," Sophie-Anne said, as Eric and I both bowed to the King of Arkansas.

The King nodded briefly to acknowledge Eric's status, but then eyed me curiously, like I was an oddity. Obviously he knew what I could do. My eyes drifted to the people standing behind the King and Queen. Andre stood behind Sophie-Anne, and the King had an ugly woman standing behind him. She must have been his second. She was of Asian origin, but that wasn't what made her ugly. She simply had mean and severe features. Perhaps if she had smiled, she would have looked lovely, but I didn't think she was the kind who _could_ have smiled. Plus her haircut looked stupid, but that wasn't something she could change as a vampire, unless she cut it every night.

"Welcome," the King said, mostly to me. I nodded again, bypassing the previous curtsy. I wasn't about to do it twice in a row.

Eric pushed me ever so slightly, giving me permission to move forward, thank God! We moved into the main ballroom. We had been assigned to a table, but from Eric's apprehension, we weren't going to be sitting anytime soon. Not that I wanted to.

"Let's dance," he said, threading my arm into his. He led us to the dance floor. I knew what he was doing without him having to tell me. He was nervous and wanted to scan the room. There was no better way to do so without seeming obvious, than to dance.

He twirled us effortlessly around the dance floor. There were several couples, including one that looked like professionals. They were both vampires, and moved so gracefully it made me choke up and get goose bumps. It was like listening to a beautiful harmony that I could actually see. I was totally focused on the two dancers, when Eric bent to whisper in my ear.

"You and I are leaving. Go to the ladies' and I'll retrieve you," he said, and kissed my neck to keep up the pretense. He was in battle mode, and his fear was more prominent than ever. Obviously he feared for my safety now more than ever.

He walked me slowly to the ladies', pretending to wait for me outside. Once inside I took several deep breaths, trying to calm down my own runaway heart. Eric was stressed enough to add my own worry to his.

The door opened and I was half expecting to see Eric, but it was that vampire woman, the King of Arkansas' second. What was she doing in the bathroom? I didn't have to wonder long. She reached behind her and pulled the longest, shiniest sword I'd ever seen. My eyes were trained on it, my heart leaping and my adrenaline spiking. I wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go, so I backed up and away.

The woman's nostrils flared and she did something I thought she couldn't do: she smiled. "Fear," she said, enjoying seeing me cower. "You smell just like your cousin." At that moment I knew, beyond shadow of a doubt, that the woman was there to bring about my death, just like she had brought about Hadley's.

**TBC**

**A/N: Sooo… ahem… who wants to see what the necklace does? Or perhaps Sookie's brooch? Anybody? ? ?**


	49. Wimoweh

**A/N: **Nobody guessed what the necklace does. Shall I say…?

* * *

**Chapter 49 – Wimoweh**

_The door opened and I was half expecting to see Eric, but it was that vampire woman, the King of Arkansas' second. What was she doing in the bathroom? I didn't have to wonder long. She reached behind her and pulled the longest, shiniest sword I'd ever seen. My eyes were trained on it, my heart leaping and my adrenaline spiking. I wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go, so I backed up and away._

_The woman's nostrils flared and she did something I thought she couldn't do: she smiled. "Fear," she said, enjoying seeing me cower. "You smell just like your cousin." At that moment I knew, beyond shadow of a doubt, that the woman was there to bring about my death, just like she had brought about Hadley's._

I was cornered. More than that, I knew help wouldn't come. I could hear screams coming from the outside. Something bad was happening, and this woman had taken advantage of the situation to kill me. I was an asset to Louisiana, after all. And a successful Sheriff's blood-bonded. Killing me would cripple him or take him out of the picture altogether. It's amazing how much common sense fits inside a brain that's full of adrenaline. I knew why I was a target. It had been fairly easy to figure out.

The woman advanced towards me, her sword raised and ready to deprive me of my head. I knew I needed that, so I screamed for help sort of loudly, damaging my throat in the process. _Our baby!_ I screamed louder, if only to protect me for our baby's sake.

I felt a sort of hum emanating from my throat as I tried to scream some more. _The necklace! _Right from my throat and into the room, like lightning, the blue glow shot up and out like a shock wave. Only it didn't do what I thought it would do, which was to stop my attacker. _Oh, God! Figures it's defective!_

Something or somebody broke through the tall windows above where I was standing against a far wall, showering the floor with bits of broken glass that somehow didn't reach me. This bathroom must have backed up against the outside courtyard of the old church. Before I could make heads or tails of what had landed right in front of me, the striped body of a tiger burst through the bathroom door, splintering it to pieces.

The vampire looked shocked, and I must say that so was I. Right in front of me, in a protective stance against my attacker, there were two huge lions roaring like beasts and trying to swipe at the vampire with their thick claws. Behind her the tiger launched the first attack, latching onto her neck and shaking her until the sword fell from her hands.

I was paralyzed. I wasn't sure if the lions would turn on me. They had caught the vampire completely by surprise. With a disgusting crunching sound the tiger did to her what she had intended to do to me. I had to look away and try to hold my breath when the stench of dead vampire filled the bathroom.

Sure enough, the lions turned to me, and I thought for sure I was next. I couldn't scream anymore. The fear that finally gripped me left me speechless. It was like being in a nightmare, when something bad is going on and you can't call for help, and no matter how hard you try to scream nothing will come out. My knees gave and I sank to the floor. In the back of my mind I registered that there was still a battle raging fiercely outside the bathroom in the main hall. _Eric…_ I called his name in my mind, calling my blood bonded to me. In my fear I couldn't feel him. _Maybe he's no more…_ I welcomed death and closed my eyes in prayer as the beasts bore down upon me.

And then… nothing.

I felt a large furry and purry body sitting against my side and another against my legs. I opened my eyes. The lions had sat next to me, looking more like guard dogs than lions. The tiger sat in front of all three of us, all three cats with their eyes trained on the door.

They were protecting me.

My eyes widened at the realization. That extra shot of adrenaline really sharpened my mind. Freyja's sacred animals: cats. They'd come to my rescue. I heard my phone ringing in my purse, which was in front of the lion at my side. I reached for it slowly, but the lion wasn't about to do anything to me. I took the phone out of the purse and looked at the scree: it was Claudine.

"I'm not sure whether to pull you or not. You seem calm now," she said quickly. I could hear her breath stuttering, as if she was walking really fast.

"I have to stay. All hell broke loose and Eric's fighting. I don't know where he is but I need to find out," I said, starting to stand up. The tiger made a loud huffing noise, as if it had understood every word I'd just said. _Oh, of course!_ "Quinn is guarding me. He won't let me go look for Eric," I said, translating the huff.

"You stay where you are! You are in no position to fight against supes!" Claudine yelled at me over the phone.

"Fine, whatever, in that case let me concentrate on trying to feel for my husband!" I yelled right back.

"Call me when it's over," she said and we hung up.

I concentrated, daring to close my eyes knowing that I had three giant cats guarding me. I explored the bond and finally felt him. There was so much rage and bloodlust that I had to close off the connection as best I could. Instead, I called to him again. Whatever he was doing, he needed to extricate himself and come get me. Then we were leaving.

Within a few minutes he strode purposefully in the bathroom, looking more like the angel of death personified than my husband. He saw Quinn and hissed loudly. I stood up quickly, just in case these two were about to go at it. With a sickening sound I saw as the air shimmered and shifted around Quinn, at the same time that his body changed from animal back to man. Back to a very naked man. I kept my eyes averted. I'd only ever seen Eric naked.

"What is the meaning of this? !" Eric bellowed.

"I killed Jade Flower. She was trying to decapitate Sookie," Quinn explained, keeping it short and simple.

I decided he needed a little more explanation. It's not every day you find your wife surrounded by a zoo. "Freyja's stones called the cats," I said, and Eric's rage diminished slightly. I was wondering when the other two people were going to turn back into humans, or if they didn't want me to know their secret.

Eric wasn't a mind reader, but he could see I was expecting something from the lions. "They're not shifters. They're real cats," he said and moved closer to me. Both lions stood up and growled menacingly. Obviously I would have to go to him.

I walked forward and let Eric pick me up. He didn't look hurt, just covered in blood. "Are you alright?" I asked. He seemed to be assessing me too.

"Fine. I owe you, Quinn. Collect anytime," Eric said without taking his eyes off me, and with that he flew up to the windows above the lions. Slowly he maneuvered us out, taking care not to hurt me with the leftover bits of glass. He found the car that was waiting for us, got us inside and told the driver to floor it. We were back at the airport in five minutes, and the driver was five hundred dollars richer for his speed.

As soon as we reached the tarmac and the awaiting plane, I pulled my cell and called Claudine. I told her quickly that we were about to board a plane back to Shreveport and she breathed in relief. "Okay, good. Fintan was about to have a stroke. I'll call him right now," and with that we hung up.

In the airplane the smell of dead vampire became horrendous. It was clinging to Eric more than me and it was making me sick. _Welcome to pregnancy and a better sense of smell_, I told myself. "Could you take off your clothes or something?" I said without giving Eric any more detail.

"Darling Sookie. I know I told you I would make love to you on the airplane, but I must ask for a… what do you call it? A rain check," he said, using the term I used whenever I wasn't feeling like participating in "nighttime activities."

"No, honey. The smell is horrible. I'm about to get sick from it," I said, scrunching my nose. I realized some of the blood that had been on Eric's clothes had transferred to mine too, but not as much.

Eric smiled a little crooked grin, and started stripping. He bundled up everything and put it in the trash can of the plane's bathroom. He'd been wearing an undershirt and a pair of navy silk boxers which did not have any blood on them, so he kept those on. At that moment I was very grateful and relieved that Eric didn't have any issues with nudity, though he wasn't nude. But he was close.

He sat down on the large chair next to mine, and picked me up to sit me on his lap. He held me close and asked me to tell him everything that happened. I knew he wouldn't tell me anything about what had happened to him until I told him what had happened to me. So I did, leaving out nothing.

"I heard you screaming, but every time I tried to go to you someone got in the way to try to kill me," he said when I was finished. His tone was somber and his expression even more so.

"Why on God's green Earth does the Queen keep lions as pets?" I asked a little perturbed. It really made no sense.

"You saw how well they protect, and they guard the place day and night. Plus I suppose she enjoys the spectacle," Eric said and shrugged.

"Did she get hurt in the fight?" I asked a little scared. I didn't want to think about the King of Arkansas now being the King of Louisiana too.

"No, she's fine. Wybert lost his head, though. That's how the whole thing started. One of the Arkansas vampires accused Wybert of bumping into him, and lopped off Wybert's head with a long sword. That gave the rest of Arkansas the excuse they needed to commence the battle. I believe the King of Arkansas is the one who is now dead," Eric said. His voice had gone down in pitch. That meant that trouble was ahead. "Sophie-Anne is now the Queen of Arkansas as well as Louisiana."

"Oh, okay," I said. I guessed it was in the premarital agreement. Unless she'd been the one to kill him, in which case it would be more of a coups d'état. "So now what?" I asked, always needing to know what the future held, if it was possible to know.

"Now nothing. Arkansas is not my problem, and I don't really care if Sophie-Anne just made herself wealthier. I was just trying to protect what is mine," he said and closed the subject, but I could see the wheels in his head were still turning.

It was easy to guess what he was thinking. Tonight someone had come close, too close, to taking away that which he loved most. We weren't safe, and soon we wouldn't be wrapped up into this neat little package. When our baby came he would have double the worry. As would I.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Lay back, Sookie, and spread your knees," Doctor Ludwig ordered sitting next to me on the bed. With one gloved hand she reached inside me and felt around, pushing down on my abdomen a little. Eric was nearby, growling and hissing but staying put.

"Shush, Northman. What would you have me do? Guess?" the tiny doctor asked. Eric tried to control himself, but it wasn't easy for him. Talk about possessive!

Doctor Ludwig closed her eyes and mumbled something in a foreign language, probably some sort of incantation. She withdrew her hand and looked at me with a beatific smile. "There is a baby in there, only one. I was afraid with your fae heritage you might have twins. However, you do need to see a human doctor for high risk pregnancies. I know someone with whom you can be completely honest, so I will refer you," she said and got up.

"Why high risk? What's wrong?" I asked immediately, pulling the sheet back over me to cover myself up.

"It's just a precaution. I am grateful you've told me the circumstances surrounding the conception. Now I want to make absolutely sure this baby is born absolutely healthy." She took off her gloves and tossed them in a trash bin near our bed. Lately I'd been feeling queasy, and so I kept it there just in case. Doctor Ludwig began scribbling on several prescription notes, handing each finished one to Eric.

"Prenatal vitamins, extra B-12, referral to see Doctor Ein. You may take blood from Sookie, but no more than a mouthful every other day, and only until her sixth month. After that she will need the extra blood volume, so you will have to cut down to only twice a week," then she turned to me. "I understand that taking blood from Eric is part of being bonded, but since we don't know the effects on the baby, better not do it unless it is a dire circumstance and your life or your baby's life is at stake. I very much doubt that any exchanges that have taken place since the pregnancy have had any adverse effects, but it is better to be safe."

The doctor started to put her things away and talking to us in general. "Maintain a healthy diet with lots of protein and complex carbohydrates, indulge your healthier cravings as much as you like, but try to use moderation when your craving for Cheetos strikes again," she smiled remembering what I'd told her of my latest craving: Cheetos and Corn Pops. Thank goodness Corn Pops now had more fiber, or so said the box, so eating a large mixing bowl of Corn Pops with milk wasn't half as bad as polishing off the giant bag of Cheetos I'd bought.

Doctor Ludwig turned to Eric. "You better be able to control yourself if you want to see your baby. Doctor Ein will be doing the first sonogram at eight weeks, and it will be a trans-vaginal one. She will check the heart and make sure the baby's size corresponds to the gestational period. You cannot growl at Doctor Ein while she's checking on your baby. She will throw you out of the room."

"Yes, ma'am," Eric said, trying not to say it through gritted teeth.

"I'll come check on you after you see Doctor Ein, but she should really be your primary doctor from now on. This is a completely human baby, and she is the best at what she does," the doctor said to me patting my hand.

After she left we sat in the living room digesting the information and waiting on a roast I had in the crock pot. My large kitchen in Shreveport now had every appliance and piece of cookware I needed, just like my small kitchen in Bon Temps.

"How are you feeling?" Eric asked. He'd been asking me that for the past six days since we'd left New Orleans.

"Amazingly well," I said, changing from my usual response of "good." Actually I was really excited that in a week or so I would get to see my baby on a sonogram. I'd seen other people's printouts from their own sonograms (Arlene had both of her kids' inside a tiny frame in her living room). I wasn't sure what to expect at eight weeks, but I just wanted the reassurance that there was a baby and that she was healthy. And, yes, I was sure it was a girl. My new mommy sense told me so.

"Why are you so excited?" he asked, looking at the prescription notes with a frown. I told him why and he looked up in concern. "It's hard to control myself when someone else touches you. Perhaps you should go to the appointment alone. I do not want to embarrass you."

"Oh, no, you don't!" I said immediately. "You're coming with me to see our baby. You may skip the regular appointments if you want to, but not the ones when we get to see the baby."

Eric smiled indulgently and caressed my cheek. "Alright, my love. Anything for you as long as you can forgive me later."

"I'll forgive you later," I said.

Two weeks later, on Valentine's Day, we made our way to Doctor Ein's office. She was a friend of Doctor Ludwig, and a witch. That explained how she knew about the supernatural world. Doctor Ludwig told us to trust her, and one look into her mind told me she had done this type of thing before, though not with a vampire's child. She was truly surprised (in a good way) at our miracle. As a witch, she understood about the goddess and what Eric's faith had accomplished.

Doctor Ein was the only one in the office that late, so she showed us to the sonogram room. "I like to do the sonograms myself. I know what I'm looking for in high risk pregnancies, though I doubt yours is that risky." She smiled and had me lie on the paper-lined bed with stirrups. Eric was to sit beside my head and stay there. He'd been listening attentively to everything that had been said, but not daring to open his mouth. I suspected his fangs had lengthened.

The doctor showed me the probe, which she called a wand, which she would be inserting to see the baby. "It is still too small to see properly if we used the other kind of probe," she said, pointing at a short stubby one with a wide head that was sitting neatly in its own holder.

She inserted the probe and Eric immediately balked. He was trying so hard to be good for me. I held his hand tight, looking at the black and white screen in front of the doctor and trying not to squirm as she moved the probe around. Suddenly she stopped. "There it is," she said, her voice full of wonder. I could see in her mind that she enjoyed this part very much: the first time the parents got to see their baby.

On the screen all I could see was a lot of black and a gray circle. She kept the probe steady and pointed at the monitor. "You see that? That is the heart. It's beating nice and fast, very healthy."

Eric gasped. "That's what I've been hearing," he murmured. "It's very faint."

"I suppose it is. The baby is only about the size of a kidney bean, and it is very well-cushioned inside its mommy. As it grows bigger you will hear it better and louder."

"It?" Eric asked.

"I don't know the sex of the embryo yet," Doctor Ein explained, but she understood. "I can call it a she if it makes you feel better."

Eric nodded and I smiled. It seemed he wasn't set on a particular sex. He just wanted a child.

"Well, there you have it. Baby Northman is doing very well," Doctor Ein announced, and started moving the probe and doing other tests. She explained them all, but I was only half listening.

_Baby Northman_. I looked up at Eric who was looking down at me. His eyes were rimmed with red. I squeezed his hand and smiled, keeping my own tears at bay. If he started crying, then I would cry too, and I was feeling too happy. He was happy too, and so touched by the miracle of seeing his child alive inside me that he couldn't contain the tears. He quickly wiped them with his handkerchief.

We went to Fangtasia with several pictures of our little kidney bean. I had every intention of showing Pam. She met us in Eric's office to give him information about all the Valentine's Day happenings. When she was done I waved her over to the couch and she sat beside me. I put the sonogram pictures in her hand.

"What is this?" she asked, reading the information and trying to decipher it.

"That's the baby," I said.

"Oh!" she said, and there was an actual look of surprise on her face. Then she frowned. "It looks like a peanut. It doesn't have a head or arms or legs."

"No, Pam. That comes over the next few weeks. You know, I'm reading _Pregnancy for Dummies_. Do you want to borrow it?" I asked, thinking she'd say no with disgust.

"Yes! Bring it tomorrow," she said, flooring me for sure. "I have a baby shower to plan, remember?"

I smiled, and I could feel Eric's amusement too. Pam was really going crazy about this. "Okay, I'll bring it."

Then Pam did something that I never ever thought she'd do. She patted my belly and talked to it. "Hello, there! It's your Auntie Pam. You and I are going to take over the world." She said the last sentence with her usual stoic tone and expression.

That Pam.

**TBC**


	50. Operation Baby Northman

***GAH!* Apparently something is wrong with FanFiction and their editing feature. I've been trying to post this chapter since Monday night! I know I had problems over the weekend as well, and my fellow author All About Eric had trouble posting the new chapter to "Immortal Beloved," so I won't take it personal, but his is RIDICULOUS! To make matters worse, I've sent them like four emails so far letting them know about it (and I'm sure everybody else has too), but they haven't responded and they haven't posted anything on the home page advising of what the problem is or what they're doing to fix it. So... I'm sorry it took so long to post. Wasn't my fault. I'm getting off my soapbox now...**

**A/N: **Oh, my goodness! Is this story really middle aged? Well, yes, I believe it is. I wouldn't have continued after the first few chapters if it hadn't been for all the encouragement I got from you, my lovely readers. Okay, so this is what I plan on doing: I have in my office (where I work) a photocopier that cost more than my car ($21,000). I am sure that for the amount of money that was spent on it I can borrow Eric for a minute, scan him, make life-sized full-color copies, and send them all to the readers of AAD. Now, I know you're all on board, so the only question I have is: clothes, or no clothes?

And… to celebrate, we're going to hear from the beautiful man whose butt I wish to put on my copier. Eric's POV, all the way…

* * *

**Chapter 50 – Operation Baby Northman**

I listened to my baby inside Sookie, his heart beating fast and steady. Sookie was caressing my hair, and her peace during this moment was a gift in itself. I pressed my ear a little more into her abdomen. We had seen the doctor just the day before for a twelve-week checkup and to do some measurements of the baby. We got to see him again on the monitor, with the doctor pointing at what could now be seen: tiny hands, feet, the head, even a tiny nose. The doctor measured some area around his neck, to check for some disease. I barely heard a word she said, and hoped that Sookie had been listening. I know I interrupted to ask for the sex of my child, and the doctor said it was too early still, but that on the twentieth week she would check and we would know for sure.

"Maybe we should get ready for work," Sookie whispered but didn't make any attempt to move me from my spot.

Work. That was something we would need to talk about. I could hear the baby if there were no distractions. Soon I would be able to hear both heartbeats inside her, and then she would have to stay home. Only my most trusted employees knew that Sookie was pregnant, but they thought the means had been artificial insemination. Indira seemed to have been as excited as Pam, Thalia was indifferent but I knew better, and Maxwell congratulated me profusely. He had been turned in the mid-eighties, so he understood about a man's sensibilities in being a new father.

"Alright, my love. My son and I can spend some more quality time later," I said, knowing I would make her mad.

And so I did. "I told you the baby is a girl. I'm sorry, but it's true. Maybe next time you will get your boy," she said, accepting my hand for help getting off the bed. She wasn't huge by any stretch of the imagination. Her abdomen had enlarged somewhat, but it looked evenly spread from the bottom of her ribs to her hips. This was good. She did not look pregnant yet, and if the trend continued, she would be able to disguise her figure for much longer than others could.

"You have no way of knowing that the baby is a girl any more than I have a way of knowing it is a boy," I said, teasing. I liked our banter. In truth, I did not care what sex our child would be.

I looked at the miracle of my pregnant wife, pregnant with my baby: I had always thought Sookie was magnificent, but I had never realized the true extent of it. She was naked and moving to the bathroom to take a shower. Her breasts were fuller and the pink areolas had darkened. Her belly was rounder. Her skin was softer and her hair shinier with the extra vitamins. She whined a little about having a stuffy nose and gums that bled whenever she brushed her teeth. After that confession I started to wait nearby whenever she finished brushing her teeth. She let me lick her bloody gums, enjoying the taste of her sweet blood while I kissed her and healed her at the same time. Sookie was grateful and I was satisfied that her blood had not gone to waste.

At work that night I got the worst news: there was to be a summit in Chicago at the end of May. Sookie was expected to be there for a very simple reason: there was to be a trial over the murder of Peter Threadgill, and the Queen was the person who was going to be tried. Sookie's talent would be put to use to search the minds of humans to see what the vampires were saying.

I slammed my fist so hard when I got the Queen's message that I broke my desk clean in two and all the papers and the computer crashed unto the floor. Both Pam and Sookie came to see what had caused the noise. I explained, and they both adopted identical worried expressions.

Pam's face cleared faster than Sookie's. "We can get a guard for Sookie, someone to be with her during the day." She was thinking like me. I knew Sookie had not exactly understood what had made me so mad. But now she did, and she was scared.

"Like who, Pam? A shifter?" I asked, raising my voice unnecessarily. It wasn't her fault that they had chosen the summit for May, or that the Queen would not be satisfied with only my presence and required Sookie's as well.

"I was thinking somewhere along the lines of a demon or a Britlingen," she said, eyeing me carefully.

I thought about it, switching my gaze to Sookie who was looking at me wide-eyed, scared but waiting for information. "A demon I can do. I cannot afford a Britlingen, not with the baby coming in September." I was thinking that I might have to summon the inter-dimensional bodyguard after the birth of our child, and had been saving for such a purpose. I could not pay to do it twice.

"What's a… Brit-whatever?" Sookie asked in a shy voice, like she had not wanted to interrupt but could not wait anymore.

Pam explained while I called Mr. Cataliades. He could help me hire a demon, and I better do it soon. I had less than two months to settle on an agreement.

"Who do you need protected?" the attorney asked.

"My wife. She cannot remain unprotected during the day while at the summit in Chicago," I answered.

"If I may, Sheriff, I will be traveling with my nieces, and I know that either of them can perform the job adequately. Of course, as part of our party, your wife's security and safety are the Queen's responsibility. So if you feel you need to hire someone other than Diantha or Gladiola, you may and charge it to the Queen's security detail," he offered.

I thought back to the night during Sophie-Anne's engagement, when both demon sisters had fought so adeptly. Diantha had the ability to shoot fire from her hands with deathly accuracy, while Gladiola was an ace with her sword. They also knew Sookie, and, more importantly, Sookie knew them. She'd spoken of them often, so she obviously liked the girls.

"Thank you, Mr. Cataliades. Your offer is most generous. Sookie gets along with your nieces. I believe that is the most agreeable arrangement," I said and it was settled. I felt infinitely better and could see that my relief had transferred to Sookie.

"Sookie, I must say… Your décolletage is looking lovelier every day," Pam said, staring at Sookie's bosom and breaking the tension once and for all.

"Jeez, Pam! Is that all you think about? Boobs?" Sookie asked, feigning exasperation.

"No. I like ass too. But yours looks the same," she said, looking at Sookie's curvy bottom and waggling her eyebrows. "Lovely as ever."

Sookie rolled her eyes and left the office, going back to work. She was tending to tables, against my wishes, per usual. Pam looked at me. She was serious again. "We might have been able to get a Britlingen. I could have lent you the money."

"No, Pam. We don't know what is going to happen after the birth. I thank you for your generosity, but I rather make use of it when the need is real and dire," I said and looked down at my desk. Destroyed. "I might as well go sit outside for the rest of the night," I said, and moved to the closet in my office.

"I'll take care of this. You know, Eric, I selected this desk with a lot of care. I will get you another but you may not break it. It is not proper to take out your frustrations on the furniture," Pam lectured me, standing with her hands on her hips as I changed into something more interesting than my jeans and t-shirt.

"Alright, Pam," I said, just to shut her up.

"Soon you will have a little one in your home and you will have to watch what you do. You have to lead by example," she said, still treating me like a child.

I turned to her and let my fangs run down. "Stop it now or you will be sorry."

"Yes, Master," she said and lowered her eyes.

I strode out to the main floor and had Indira join me on the thrones. I did not need Pam to point out my shortcomings. I knew them well. I seethed all night, which I'm sure was exactly what the customers were expecting. Thankfully Indira was her usual charming self. I stared at my wife for most of the night, and eventually I calmed down. I could be good for her and our child. Breaking furniture in frustration was nothing compared to all the other sins I had been guilty of, starting with the most recent: the draining of the Were bitch that tried to kill Sookie and me. And Claudine for that matter, since the bullets had not stopped with the sudden appearance of the fairy. I didn't need to drain her, I could have just killed her or left her to die, like she had done to the other three innocents she had shot.

Sookie shook her head at me very slightly from where she was standing. She was trying to tell me something, but I was confused. She showed me her canines and I understood. The memory of that night when I had killed the shifter had made my fangs lengthen. I self-corrected with effort, and motioned for the waitress closest to me to bring me a blood. My baser instincts were getting the better of me tonight and I could not allow it. I was the Sheriff, the law, and an example for all the others. Like Pam said, I had to lead by example.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I woke up from my daytime sleep feeling uneasy. I found out why quickly enough as Sookie emptied the contents of her stomach into the toilet. Or tried. It didn't sound like anything was leaving her body. I rushed to her anyway and she held her hand up, telling me to stop.

"I'm okay, just morning sickness. And afternoon and night sickness," she said, flushing the toilet and putting her cheek on the floor tiles.

"Tell me what to do," I said, refusing to ask and simply commanding her to give me a task.

"I could use help getting up," she said. Her voice was raw.

"Have you been sick all day?" I asked, helping her to stand and walking with her to the sink. I knew she would want to brush her teeth.

"Yes," she said and took a deep breath, then another. It seemed like she was fighting another bout of nausea. I had read everything she had read, and I had an idea that perhaps she needed to eat something. "I haven't been able to go get anything to help with this because every time I tried I ended up back where I started."

"Do you mean in the kitchen or at the grocery store?" I asked, needing some clarification. Had she not eaten?

"The grocery store. We have nothing here. I ate the last of the crackers yesterday, and everything else just makes me want to puke more." She bent over the sink and splashed her face with cold water. Sookie shook her head over the sink, letting the water drip into it. "I don't get it. There's nothing left inside my stomach, and I can't keep anything down, not even water. Maybe I'm sick, but I can't even remember the last time I had a stomach virus."

I thought about it briefly. She would dehydrate quickly if she kept vomiting everything she tried to eat or drink. "Take a little of my blood," I offered.

She frowned into the mirror, but then her expression cleared. "You know what? I will. It cannot possibly be worse for the baby than what's happening now." She brushed her teeth quickly and I had my wrist ready for her when she finished.

I caressed her hair while she took the blood from my wrist. She didn't suck on it greedily, and took only enough to coat her tongue. "Come, lay down with me for a few minutes and rest," I said, and guided her back to bed.

The minute she curled up in bed she fell asleep. That was good news. She felt well enough to rest, since apparently she had not been able to do so all day. That left me with a dilemma. She would need the food that would not upset her stomach further, and I had seldom been to the grocery store, except to buy True Blood, and the one night she had asked me for apples. The apples had been easy to find simply by scent. The other things would not be as simple. I called Pam.

"Will you come with me to the grocery store?" I asked her, fully expecting her to say no immediately.

"Eric, you are a grown man and you have a wife…"

"Who is currently asleep after dealing with a whole day of morning sickness," I interrupted. The least I could do for Sookie was get her food.

"All day? That's very serious, Eric. She could dehydrate," Pam advised me. No shit!

"Yes, I know, I read the same books you did. Now will you help me at the grocery store or not?" I asked, already getting up from bed and writing Sookie a quick note, in case she awoke before I returned, though I doubted it.

"Yes, I will help, but I am only doing this for Sookie and my nephew because I am still upset with you," she said, and I could hear her picking up her keys.

"Fair enough," I said and hung up. Without disturbing Sookie I left the note on my pillow and met Pam downstairs.

"I must say this is quite bizarre," Pam said. I had to agree. We looked like a couple strolling through the grocery store buying things we would never eat. Some people could not tell what we were, others gave us wide berth. Pam did not have any problems finding what I asked for, the things I remembered that were missing from our kitchen.

"Pamela, how in the world do you know where the foodstuffs are?" I asked her, my curiosity needed satisfaction.

"I have been taking cooking classes," she said without elaborating.

I shook my head to clear it, one of Sookie's mannerisms that I had found myself copying. It never helped. "When do you find the time?"

Pam smiled smugly. "That's easy. There's this crazy chef from Scotland who was turned recently, but he still enjoys the smell of freshly cooked food. So he's teaching classes at Bossier Parish Community College from three to five."

"And why do you feel the need to learn how to cook?"

"Because your wife will soon give birth to a hungry little Northman that will take most of her time. I will cook meals for her, and it will be one less thing she will have to worry about and she can focus on breastfeeding your cambion," she said and rolled her eyes, like I should have known the answer to my question.

I laughed heartily. Pam was sure as independent and headstrong as ever and now she had a new project: Operation Baby Northman. I told her and her eyes lit up. I knew she would stamp the name on everything she did from now on.

Pam and I parted ways at my house, and I unpacked all the groceries, putting them where I remembered seeing them. I grabbed an ice pop and headed upstairs. Sookie was still sleeping.

"My love," I shook her softly. She needed to eat again.

Sookie stirred and stretched. "I fell asleep?"

"Yes you did. You were very tired. I brought you this," I said, presenting her with the cold treat still in its wrapper.

Her eyes widened then she frowned. "Did you make Pam go grocery shopping?"

"I did," I confessed, "but only because I needed help. She agreed to come with me."

"You went grocery shopping?" she asked, her face astonished.

"I sure did," I said, affecting a southern accent that sounded nothing like hers. Hers was prettier.

She looked at the ice pop and took it, peeling the wrapper and taking a bite. "This is so nice of you." She sniffled. "Thank you."

"Why are you crying over an ice pop?"

"Because you've been so good to me, and I didn't even ask and you went and got things for me, and you let me sleep, and you love me, and you love our baby," she started crying and shaking. It was a good thing I had read about the shifts in her mood or I would have never known what had made her cry.

I hugged her close, letting her eat and cry at the same time, and still feeling enormously lucky by her side.

**TBC**

**A/N: Okay, so a little fluff, a little transitioning (now we know what's coming next). I posted the definition for "cambion" on my profile, under the GLOSSARY.**

**P.S Geography lesson: I searched for the city of Rhodes long before I started writing this FF. There is no such place in Illinois. There is a Rhodes in Michigan, but it's not a city, and it's barely mentioned on the maps I found. Sooo... Common sense tells me that CH changed the name of Chicago to Rhodes for reasons unknown (to me, at least). I happen to know Chicago and it is a beautiful city. So that's where they're going.**


	51. The Pyramid of Giza

**A/N: **Hey, y'all! I was wondering if there were any guys reading my story. I've been on the verge of calling all of you girls, but my inner HR censor had a minor freak attack when I realized there might be guys too. I'm an Equal Opportunity Reader/Writer/Ball-Buster. So if there are any guys can you PM me? Just so I know and to satisfy my own curiosity, and so I don't go making any non-PC comments about guys.

The life-sized Eric copies are on their way in the mail. If anybody doesn't get theirs, it's because their mailperson took him home (or vice versa, y'all know how Eric is). Okay! On with the story… and back to Sookie, who is learning to talk dirty during sex. Yikes! You've been warned.

**P.S.: I was adamant that I wasn't gonna look at the book while I wrote this, and so I didn't look at the book, and I didn't double-check the name of Quinn's biz. Whoopsies! So I fixed most of the mistakes (I may have left a few). Now I'm hiding in shame behind Eric... and he just jumped 'cause I may have inadvertently squeezed his butt. :-P**

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**Chapter 51 – Pyramid of Giza**

I woke up after a very, _very_, steamy dream featuring a certain Viking. I looked around me and Eric wasn't in bed. That wasn't unusual. It was four in the morning and we were going to Chicago later that night, so he'd been tying loose ends all night. I was the one who had crashed the minute we got home from Fangtasia.

"Eeeeh-rriiiiCCC," I called in a sing-song voice. "Hooooh-neeeey!" Oh, I was hot. "Can you bring me some water?" I knew he'd heard me from wherever he was.

He appeared about a minute and a half later with a glass of water full of ice, just the way I liked it. I gulped it noisily while he watched, probably expecting me to ask for more. But I had other things in mind, and his tight shirt was just too sexy for words. It needed to come off.

I sat up fully and faced him, reaching for his hips and holding his gaze with mine. A beautiful smile started spreading across his lips as he caught my feelings and my mood. I lifted his shirt and planted soft kisses around his bellybutton, the way he did to me. I let him take off his shirt and watched the movement of his muscles as they flexed and settled. I ran my hands up the length of his torso, my eyes focusing on those pink nipples I loved to kiss and suck. I pinched them and made him hiss. He caught my wrists and moved my hands back down to the fly of his jeans. Okay, I could do that too.

Eric tugged at my nightgown, giving up and ripping it to shreds, growling up a storm. That had been my fault, sort of. I'd been feeling horribly nauseous for the past couple of days and didn't really feel like being touched. Earlier that night I had let him give me a tiny bit of blood and I was feeling better than ever. I had been able to eat a hearty meal and drink lots of juice, and I'd been able to sleep, which prompted the dream, and now my desire to have raw passionate sex with my husband.

I peeled the pants off his gorgeous butt, palming both glutes and kissing him everywhere. I put his hard length in my mouth and pumped a couple of times before he pushed me farther into the middle of our bed and made me lie down. He knelt between my knees, lifting my bottom over his legs. He started to guide himself to my opening and stopped. He looked up and grinned smugly.

"What do you want, Sookie?" Eric said, his words lost inside a deep growl.

"Holy shit, Eric! Are you kidding me? You wanna do this now? !"

Eric pulled away a little. "Yes I do. Tell me, Sookie. Tell me you want me, how you want me, where do you want me. I need to hear it." His eyes were smoldering. Fine! He wanted me to talk dirty. I was going to talk dirty.

I fixed him with a dark stare. "I want you. I want you hard. Put that cock inside my pussy right this instant, Eric Northman," I finally said, feeling my skin flush at the words.

At the very least he did as he was told, slowly filling me. I felt the room tilt a little. _So good!_ He didn't move.

"Now what, Sookie? What should I do next?"

I was past caring. If he didn't start moving soon I would pass out. "Fuck me, Eric, please…"

With a chuckle he began moving, slow. So slow it felt like torture wrapped in pleasure. How could that be? I made a sound that let him know of my frustration at the speed he had picked. I knew I should have been on top.

I dug my nails into his thighs, and his answering growl was sexy as hell. I groaned in answer, the closest I could make my voice come to a growl. He liked it and hooked my knees under his arms, to make love to me properly. I moved my hands to the sheets and held on.

"So good, so good, Eric," I repeated over and over, spurring him on and looking at him, locking his gaze with mine. A smirk started to spread on his lips. He took himself away and made me lie on my side, getting in the right position behind me so he could enter me again. He buried his face at my neck, pulled my leg back and over him, and reached for my sensitive nub, the one he called my pearl.

Forget feeling like a pretzel. We were so twisted into and around each other that we looked like a knot. I reached for his hair and grabbed a thick handful as he licked the spot he would claim on my neck. His moans were filling the room together with mine. He'd taught me how to talk dirty, and I taught him how to show me he enjoyed our lovemaking. I creamed for him whenever I heard those deep moans mingled with his grunts.

"I'm coming, Eric. I wanna hear you too," I said, letting go of his hair and reaching down to touch him as he entered me, putting my hand over his and scissoring my fingers over his length as he pumped into me with a hungry rhythm.

Eric made an incoherent noise followed by a low guttural moan, a desperate sound, and sunk his fangs into my neck. I was as good as gone, my whole body shaking with the orgasm and the euphoria, the waves of pleasure washing over both of us until there was nothing left but my tiny whimpering as he licked my neck clean.

"Are you alright?" he asked, worried suddenly.

"Mmm-hmm. So right," I mumbled. "So good." I took a deep breath and turned within his embrace. His pupils were still dilated a bit more than normal and his fangs were _just_ there. "So beautiful."

He smiled a large toothy grin. I was so happy that I was able to give him some good loving before our trip to Chicago. God only knew what kind of nervous wreck he was going to be during the four days (five nights!) of the summit. I was to hang out with Diantha and Gladiola during the day, and then our whole entourage at night. The entourage included the four sheriffs in Louisiana (there were five areas total, but Sophie-Anne was Sheriff of Area 1, since that's where she lived), whoever they had brought as companions, and the Queen with her people. Pam was coming as Eric's companion, because I didn't count. I had to be there anyway. So I brought Thalia as my companion. I had been dithering between her and Indira, but Eric had made the decision that Thalia's age would make her a formidable opponent in a fight, and she could protect me better. Thalia and I got along alright, but she was always a little moody. Thankfully her sour moods had, as of late, not been directed towards me. Thank God for small blessings.

"How are you feeling?" Eric asked, caressing my back in a soothing motion.

"I'm perfect. I had a naughty dream about you. That's why I called you," I confessed and giggled.

"I am so glad you did. I have missed you," he said and claimed my lips, pressing my body into his, our baby sandwiched between us.

It was going to be hard to hide my pregnancy now. I'd gone shopping with Claudine one day, and then with Pam the night after, scouring the stores for clothes that would make me look like I'd simply put on weight and camouflage my growing belly. It was sort of working because I was carrying the baby everywhere, so my whole middle had expanded. Doctor Ein said that since my muscles were not used to a pregnancy, they hadn't given under the extra pressure. I would carry any subsequent pregnancies a little more "normal," though, she said, there was no such thing.

I didn't mind looking heavier than I was if it would hide my belly. Diantha and Gladiola didn't know I was pregnant, but we were going to tell them, if they didn't figure it out on their own.

Nothing about this trip would be good, with the exception of a wedding. At the last minute Eric got a call from the King of Mississippi, asking him to officiate in his nuptials to the King of Indiana, which I thought was nice. From what Eric said it was a love match, and I didn't know those existed in vampire to vampire relations.

"I love you, don't I?" Eric had asked me when I voiced my thoughts.

"I'm not a vampire," I'd pointed out.

"You're correct. You're my fairy princess, love of my existence, mother of my child, cookie and pie maker extraordinaire," he'd said and kissed me fervently. He'd referred to the fact that whenever I was feeling better from my morning sickness I would become a baking queen. The girls at work had benefited the most.

"Are you all packed? Is there anything you need help packing?" Eric asked me as he rearranged us in bed so we could both go to sleep. It was already a little past five in the morning.

"I'm all packed. I left the dresses in their bags and stuck them in the garment bag with your suits," I said and snuggled against him. He began humming the tune I knew so well, and I fell asleep lickety-split, happy and sated.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Youpregnant, aren'tcha?" Gladiola asked. She and Diantha had cornered me away from the rest of the vampires as we waited to board our plane.

"You can tell?" I asked, neither confirming nor denying, but sort of confirming anyway.

"Not really. You'vetwo auras," Diantha slowed down her speech a bit so I could understand her. It didn't matter. I looked at her with a confused expression and she had to elaborate. "You'veyour redaura like afairy, Eric'sbluelike vampire. Baby's aura'spurple roundyabelly."

I paused, deciphering what she'd said. I'd heard of auras, but didn't know they could be seen like that. Then again, the girls were demons. "Oh," I said still a little confused. "Yes I am," I finally confessed.

"Baby's histhen?" Gladiola asked. I nodded sheepishly and both sisters smiled. "You'll haveta explain, later. K?" I nodded again and they were both satisfied.

Boy! Who else would be able to tell I was pregnant with their extra perception? Probably Mr. C. could see the two auras as well, but I doubted he would spread the news. He was good at keeping secrets. Eric had said that in a silent room it was easy to pick up the extra heartbeat inside me, particularly since the beat was so much faster (which was normal, Doctor Ein had assured us).

I silently crossed my fingers for good luck and rejoined Eric, Pam and Thalia. We were inside the hangar that housed the private jet that would take all of us to Chicago. Our flight was leaving in ten minutes or less, depending on how slow or fast these people got on board. Oh! And the highlight of my evening? Bill Compton, looking a bit haggard for having lost a limb, was there. Waldo was his keeper. What a zoo!

I shuddered involuntarily and Eric put his arm around me, bringing me as close as he could against his side. We were wearing travel clothes, as opposed to the suits and dresses we would wear at the summit. This worked for me because, thanks to the new fashion, I could wear a pair of leggings with a tunic that hid me well. The fabric was flowing enough to cover me properly without hinting at the extra girth.

We entered the plane right after the Queen's entourage, and Eric picked seats as far away from everybody as possible. Diantha remained with us and sat in a row in front of us. That way, if anybody from the other groups got too close, she could incinerate him. Worked for me. The only person who would want to approach me would have been Bill, and he had been given strict orders by Sophie-Anne to not even look in my direction. So far he'd looked down at the floor, mostly.

After the airplane took off, we were able to move the seats around. This airplane was all kinds of awesome. The seats in front of us could move to face us, and we could bring up a table thing between us. Diantha had brought cards, so we played poker, with several other people leaning over the seats and watching. Thalia was helping me because I wasn't very good, and she didn't want to play. Pam and Diantha were sitting side by side, and Eric kept trying to look at my cards. Unfortunately he could feel both Pam's and my mood, even when we felt triumphant, and that's when he would fold. The cheater.

The hours passed quicker than I thought, because when poker was done we started talking about anything and everything. I'd never met the other sheriffs, but I liked them. They reminded me a lot of Eric, in their personalities: vampires when they had to be, pleasant when it behooved them or when they otherwise could relax. I guess Sophie-Anne knew her people well and enjoyed surrounding herself with the smart and fun-loving kinds.

Once in Chicago we got on a chartered bus that took us from the private airfield to the hotel. And, whoa! What a hotel it was. It was called the Pyramid of Giza for a reason. The shiny building overlooking Lake Michigan looked exactly like a pyramid. It looked like it belonged in Las Vegas. It was near the Hancock Building, which (from my research) would be the best place to see the whole city, including the Sears Tower, which now had a new name that nobody could remember.

The giant hotel was elegant to the nth degree. Everything shined, and every surface was made of glass or brass. Inside the lobby was a gorgeous fountain. The water looked dark, like a midnight blue, and it flowed from a tower that shone with twinkle lights. The lighting was subdued, lending the place a little mysterious ambience that kind of went with the Egyptian theme.

True to the luxurious surroundings, the staff was dressed in perfectly clean and pressed uniforms, and there were many clerks at the large front desk. None of them stopped smiling, and all of them were serious about their work. I couldn't hear any minds drifting from their task. I was truly impressed. While my shields were down and I was scanning almost the whole lobby, I noticed my own thoughts echoed back to me. I hurriedly shielded and looked around me. There was only one person who I'd heard that way, and that was Barry, the bellboy from Dallas. Eric tightened his grip around me, probably thinking that I was about to walk away or something.

I lowered my shields the way Claudine had taught me. It wouldn't keep a fairy out of my head, but it might keep Barry out. I listened again, but without the feedback of my own mind, I couldn't tell if I'd listened to him or to another telepath. Oh, well… I guessed I'd find out eventually. I had to focus on the clerk in front of us. She was making googly eyes at the vampire next to me, who happened to be my husband. My sudden wave of jealousy must have been obvious.

"Eric and Sookie Northman," Eric said in a commanding voice. Anybody within that lobby with vampire or shifter ears heard him just fine. He was staking his claim on me, as well as mine on him.

The clerk's smile wavered just a tiny bit before she resumed her work and got us our key cards, and told us we would be on the eighth floor. Apparently the lobby was the twenty fifth floor, as the floor numbers descended as the height ascended. The lower the number, the ritzier the room. Sophie-Anne and her children were staying on the fourth floor along with the other regents. Pam and Thalia had a room next to ours, and Mr. C. was sharing a room with his nieces on the same floor as us.

Eric was getting too stressed. I could feel the low rumble inside him already. We jumped at the chance to go directly to our rooms as soon as Pam and Thalia had their key cards. We all grabbed our luggage ourselves and headed up. Let me rephrase that: everybody but me grabbed our luggage… per Pam I wasn't allowed to carry anything heavier than my purse. She apparently didn't remember I was a Stackhouse married to a Northman. We were strong peoples.

Once in our room Eric calmed down considerably. He'd been fine on the plane, even with Bill in close proximity. I guessed the sudden openness of the lobby made him nervous. I started unpacking, checking all our garments in case they needed a little ironing or steaming. Everything looked like it had survived the trip well.

I felt Eric's strong arms snake around my waist and buried his face in my hair. "Are you hungry?" he mumbled against the nape of my neck.

"Yes. It was a long flight. Should I order in or do you want to go to the restaurant?" I asked, but I already knew the answer. He didn't want to mingle yet. I was sure there would be people he needed to meet and greet, but he needed some peace for a while longer.

"Order in. I'll keep checking the clothes," he said and kissed my temple.

About twenty minutes after I ordered my dinner there was a knock on the door. I was ecstatic by the service until Eric opened the door and found Quinn standing in the hall.

"Northman," Quinn said and nodded briefly. His eyes drifted towards me and lit up. Oh, jeez!

"Quinn, what can I do for you?" Eric asked in a stern deep voice.

Quinn gave him a garment bag. "These are your robes for the ceremony on Friday night. You may return them to me on Saturday."

Even though Eric wasn't facing me, the long silent moment told me he'd raised an eyebrow at Quinn. "Thank you," he said finally and practically closed the door on the weretiger.

"What's Quinn doing here?" I asked a little confused.

"He's the… whatever the fuck he is for the events people with the stupid name."

"Oh! Oh, yeah…" I remembered the silly name now. "Extreme(ly Elegant) Events, or some such?"

"Yes. How do you say a parenthesis?" he asked of the ceiling and hung the robes in the closet by the door.

Our room was pretty standard as far as hotel rooms went. It had some kind of glass that didn't allow the sun's rays to penetrate and harm the vampires. It had a coffin next to the bed, for those who preferred to sleep in one, but there was no true need. Eric and I could share the king size bed just like we did at home.

The phone rang in our room. It was Pam, from Eric's side of the conversation. "I'm sorry, Pam. We'll be staying in our room for the rest of the night, so we will see you tomorrow," he said and hung up.

"What's wrong?" I asked because Eric had a displeased look.

"The Queen wants Pam to help Bill with his booth. They're setting it up tonight so they can start selling Bill's database tomorrow during the official start of the summit."

Yep! These would be some very long nights.

**TBC**

**A/N: Several things, please bear with me: **

**1) It's Giza, not Gizeh. I don't know what Gizeh is, nor do I care to find out. In Egypt there is the Pyramid of Giza, on the Giza plateau. So there. **

**2) Eric is wealthy, but he's not a Prince of Arabia. He was invisible up until the Great Revelation. He hasn't had a chance to build his billions yet, and can only pay to summon Britlingens once.**

**3) Fanfiction was acting up again and wouldn't let me add a new story to the Sookie Stackhouse category. So I chose a different one and changed it. The email that went out for the new story says it's for "Shopaholics," and I honestly don't know what that is. It's under the right category now. That said…**

**4) I have a new side story to AAD called "Fairies and Pies." It is heavy with sexual content and a huge LEMON. Please beware. It's a one-shot of what happened the day Sookie went to deliver her pies to her fairy cousins. It is complete as of now, unless I get bored and think of more lemons to add to it. It's total PWP. E/S nookie all the way… it's just the kind of nookie they engage in that's… different.**


	52. Silver Kidney Bean

**A/N: **Okey-dokey… so… from what I gathered, there are NO guys reading this FF. Awesome! That means I don't have to watch my tongue (so to speak).

**P.S.: I was adamant that I wasn't gonna look at the book while I wrote this, and so I didn't look at the book, and I didn't double-check the name of Quinn's biz. Whoopsies! So I fixed most of the mistakes (I may have left a few). Now I'm hiding in shame behind Eric... and he just jumped 'cause I may have inadvertently squeezed his butt. :-P**

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**Chapter 52 – Silver Kidney Bean**

I woke up with the alarm clock I'd set for ten in the morning. I was going to join Mr. C. for breakfast, and Diantha and Gladiola were coming to collect me. I wondered if the sisters ate. They must have, because I was sure they didn't drink blood like vampires. Hm! I guessed I'd find out soon enough. I lied still for a minute, waiting for the sleep to leave my eyes, and that's when I felt it: the first kick.

"Oh, sweetie… you had to do that now when Daddy's asleep," I murmured, pressing my belly on the spot where I'd felt the bump. Nothing happened. I'd been feeling other things, and half the time I wasn't sure if it was gas or the baby moving. Talk about my body being a wonderland! But the kick was new.

I looked over at Eric. He'd fallen asleep curled up against me. He would get a kick out of knowing the baby had kicked me. I giggled. Then I looked around the room, sitting up and extricating myself from Eric's heavy limbs. The light inside the room came in strange. I could see outside just fine, and it wasn't dark inside by any stretch of the imagination. Whatever the glass on the windows was doing it made the room look a dull orange. I was pretty sure it blocked all the different types of radiation that harmed vampires. From what I could tell, the day was sunny. I turned on the TV briefly to find out the temperature. It was already seventy degrees. That was pleasant for a northern city.

By the time the sisters knocked on my door I was wearing a pretty babydoll dress in pink with darker pink flowers stamped on the fabric, a white hoodie (which I left open) and a pair of white ballet flats. I looked cute, and the cut of the dress disguised me very well. I had put my hair half up, to show off a pair of gold hoop earrings that Eric had given me the previous Sunday for Mother's Day. I was almost positive that the gift had been Pam's idea, but one doesn't look a gift horse in the mouth. I'd learned that lesson eventually.

The demon sisters were smiling pleasantly when I opened the door, and both their gazes zoomed to my belly the minute they saw me. Their smiles widened.

"Yawilltell us howithappened?" Gladiola asked first. The two sisters looked alike, even when they were as different as day and night. Gladiola wore her hair black in a cute pixie cut that only she could pull off. Her eyes, just like Diantha's, were a color of brown that almost looked orange. And their dress styles were significantly different. Gladiola wore a pair of jeans, with a simple red tee, and a pair of sneakers. Diantha was a little wilder in her dress choice. Today she was wearing a tie dyed sleeveless shirt, a short ruffled skirt in white, and a pair of scary snake print gladiator sandals. And, of course, her trademark silver hair in spikes. I half expected her to be pierced everywhere, but neither sister was, not anywhere that I could see, anyway.

"I'll tell you everything, but not here. Maybe later we can go for a walk?" I said, hoping they would join me outside. A day spent indoors was sure to have me tearing at the walls.

"We'llgotodapark!" Diantha said and gave a tiny jump, like she had been really looking forward for an excuse to go to the park. "Da Millennium Park. Isbeautiful!"

I smiled. "Okay!" I agreed and locked the door. During the day the only cards that worked to open the door were mine and Eric's. Not even the management had access to the vampire rooms while the sun was out, or so we were told. But for extra added protection, in rooms where a "day-walker" (usually a human) spent the day with a vampire, we were given an actual key that could lock the door from the outside.

The sisters and I headed to one of the three restaurants that radiated from the main lobby. The lobby had regular glass surrounding it, and I could finally appreciate what a truly beautiful day it was outside. Mr. C. was already at the restaurant and had gotten us a table. The smell of food made my tummy rumble, and I was very happy that the table already had an assortment of rolls and small Danishes waiting for us.

I dug in immediately. Our server filled our cups with coffee and took our orders, and my one question was answered. The demon sisters ate, alright. They had ordered more food than me or even Mr. C., who was a portly gentleman. As we made small talk about the weather, and how good the coffee and rolls were, I looked around and saw them. They were the strangest women I'd ever seen. It wasn't so much their faces, or their build (I couldn't tell how tall they were because they were sitting). Their clothes were unlike anything I'd ever seen. Diantha was sitting beside me and followed my open stare to see what had me looking puzzled.

"Them's Britlingens," she said in a whisper.

My eyebrows shot up into my hairline and I nodded. I'd heard of those. Pam had explained to me what they were. Eric wanted to bring one of those women to guard the baby and me? They looked a little scary. They were eating in silence, and nothing about their demeanor would point to scary, but, again, their clothes… They were both wearing black suits, more like armors than suits. The fabric looked like wet leather, and it moved fluidly, more like cotton than leather. They finished their breakfast and stood up. One was tall, taller than me for sure, the other was petite. I tried to read their minds, but found a similar type of buzz as my companions' minds. I stopped being so rude and put my shields back up.

"Somebody who has a lot of money summoned them, I gather," Mr. C. commented.

"Eric made it sound like it was prohibitively expensive," I said. I hadn't gotten a number from him.

"Yes it is. It costs several million dollars to have a witch summon them then you have to negotiate a price for the length of time they will stay. If they don't like what they hear in negotiation, they leave and you're out millions of dollars. I've only ruined one negotiation and I learned quickly after that," Mr. C. said chuckling.

"You've had them summoned?" I asked lowering my voice.

"Not me, goodness no. I have merely led the negotiations," Mr. C. answered good-naturedly. I nodded and dropped the subject. I knew exactly how much money my husband had in every account. He wouldn't exactly break the bank if he summoned the Britlingens, but it would be close.

I took advantage now that I was feeling good enough to eat, and ate as much food as my body would accept. It was not nearly as much as Diantha and Gladiola put away. When we were done Mr. C. paid for breakfast (it would all go on the Queen's tab) and excused himself because he had work to do in his room, while Diantha, Gladiola, and I got ready to go for a walk (me by visiting the ladies'). We walked slowly, since we were all full as ticks.

The sights and sounds of the city of Chicago were unlike anything I'd ever experienced. Shreveport was a city, but it didn't compare. New Orleans didn't either. I imagined that New York City would be the only place that could possibly compare to Chicago. Everything moved so fast. The architecture was so massive. And here and there shots of beauty: a bridge over a canal, and arch, a sculpture. At the Millennium Park we saw a beautiful fountain, flanked on one side by columns. We admired it and took pictures, then followed a long climbing walk to an outdoor amphitheatre that looked more like a space ship. It was silent, so Diantha and Glad (as she insisted I call her) went to the stage to show off. They twirled and sang with me as their audience. I clapped and hooted like a maniac. Nobody would ever accuse me of not being an enthusiastic part of the audience.

We kept walking east and soon came across the strangest sculpture I'd ever seen. It looked like a shiny silver kidney bean, about the size of several buses. We stood in front of it, watching our own reflections and seeing the whole city behind us. It was interesting. We took more pictures. As we kept walking we found another large fountain, with two giant rectangular structures that showed videos at the same time that served as giant water spouts. They were at least two stories tall. There were tons of kids and some adults running around under the fountains in their bathing suits. We sat nearby on an empty bench, and did some people watching while we talked.

I told the girls about Eric's goddess blessing the stones that Eric had turned into a necklace, and that his gesture of giving me the necklace allowed us to conceive, and that it had been Eric's one true wish. They didn't seem surprised by anything I said. I remembered they belonged to the same magical realm as angels and deities, so obviously what seemed like a miracle to me was simply a magical act to them.

"Do you think anybody else can tell I'm pregnant?" I asked the girls.

"Ya arehiding it well. Onlywe canseeda auras," Glad said.

"Maybesomeone whoknowsya willseeda change inya," Diantha offered.

We headed back to the hotel. I was feeling like I could use a nap. We had a long night ahead, judging solely by the schedule, and I was expected to hang around the Queen whenever she went out in public.

At the lobby, who should approach me but Quinn with the roaming eyes. Glad immediately stood half in front of me, putting herself as a barrier.

"Good afternoon, Sookie. It's so nice to see you. You're looking very beautiful today," Quinn said, taking in my more-ample-than-usual bosom and tanned legs. _Jerk!_

"Hello, Quinn," I said and started to move. I could be rude if he was going to be rude too, right? If he was going to look at me like I was something to eat, then I could be curt no matter what he'd done for me.

"How is your cousin?" Quinn asked. I noticed his polo shirt had the Extreme(ly Elegant) Events logo on it. It was three E's, the second one in parenthesis.

"I have three cousins. They're all doing well. If you will excuse me, I need to rejoin my husband," I said, and started moving towards the bank of elevators again. Quinn reached for me and quickly discovered that was a mistake. Diantha put her hand up next to her face, palm out and Glad made a sword appear out of thin air, training it under Quinn's chin. I knew without being told that Diantha would incinerate whatever she was looking at, and Glad would slice Quinn from his throat to his manhood if he so much as moved. "I'm sorry, Quinn, but I'm very tired and have a long night ahead. I have to go rest," I said, pretending I couldn't see the sisters.

Quinn lowered his arm slowly, never taking his eyes off his closest opponent (that would be Glad).

"Do not touch what is not yours," said a woman behind Quinn. I raised my eyes only to see one of the Britlingens, the tall one. For sure she'd heard the whole exchange. She put her hand on Quinn's shoulder and turned him around. "I must speak with you about security," she said with a heavy accent.

Diantha grabbed my hand and pulled me to follow her. Glad followed behind us. They didn't relax until they had delivered me to my room.

"Ugh! That Quinn! What did Claudine see in him?" I asked of nobody at all, alone in our bedroom. Eric was still dead to the world. I knew what Claudine had seen: a pretty face and killer body. And then she had regained her sanity and dumped his butt.

I took off my shoes and jewelry, too tired to change, and got back in bed. I must have been really tired because I fell asleep immediately and didn't wake up until Eric woke me. He was talking to my belly in Old Norse.

"Hey, honey," I said, still drowsy.

"The baby kicked me as soon as I awoke," Eric said, snaking a hand up my skirt so he could put it flat on my belly.

"Oh, really! I felt her kick earlier when you were asleep. I'm so happy she listened to me and did it again while you were awake," I said and snickered.

"Can you hear his mind?" Eric asked. He liked to be antagonistic and call the baby a boy. He'd asked me before if I could hear the baby's mind, and just like before I had to answer in the negative. I was pretty sure I'd be able to hear her eventually, when she wasn't inside me seeing nothing and hearing only the steady thumping of my heart.

"Go get ready while I order your dinner. It will be better if you eat here," he said. Translation: the least amount of time spent in the company of others, the better. I wasn't going to argue. I stood up slowly and started for the bathroom when I felt him grab my hand. He turned me around and admired my dress. "You look beautiful," he said, sitting up and bringing me closer.

"Thank you. I'm sure my hair's a mess," I mumbled, trying to fix my hair a little.

Eric shook his head. "You look beautiful," he repeated, pulling me down to kiss me. "I wish we had time to make love," he whispered against my lips and groaned.

"We don't have time?" I asked, running my hands over his shoulders then down over his chest. "Not even for a quickie?" Even as I said the words I knew my arousal was building. I decided to tease him before he answered.

I pulled away and shrugged. I took off my panties, bending over to run them over my legs. I unzipped my dress and let it fall to the floor. I stepped out of it and bent to pick it up. I could already hear a little bit of growling from the peanut gallery. Finally I took off my bra and walked away with my dirty clothes. As soon as I took the first step I was pulled back to the bed.

I laughed in triumph and Eric smiled with me shaking his head. "You're a conniving little thing, aren't you?" he asked, opening my legs and gliding inside me easily. I couldn't answer him with anything other than a moan. He held his body up with one arm and reached between us with the other, to tease my little nub. I took the opportunity to tease him too, rubbing his nipples until they were hard peaks.

All that teasing worked us into a frenzy of need pretty fast and we were both chanting the other's name in no time. I exploded under him and took him with me. Whatever else happened tonight, at least we had relieved that small source of tension. We kissed lazily for a moment before I announced I had to pee and ran away. I heard him laughing in the bedroom. Must be nice not to have to use the bathroom at the drop of a hat… or at all.

I took a shower and got ready for the night, emerging just as Eric was putting my tray on the small table near the windows. Too late I realized that we hadn't closed the curtains. Oh, well… whoever was looking (from several blocks away and with a pair of binoculars) had just gotten a show… IF there had been anybody.

I ate dinner while Eric took his shower and got ready, and then I got dressed in a pleated jersey dress that came down to my knees, a dark beige blazer, two-inch heels in black, and my new gold hoops. And Freyja's necklace and my fairy amulet stuck to the inside of my bra. Never leave home without them. I doubted I would need any of my protectors, but nobody wanted to take any chances, least of all me.

We were joined by Pam and Thalia outside of our rooms and by Mr. C. and the demon sisters on our way up to see the Queen. When we got to the fourth floor the Queen was right there, wearing a sash that read Louisiana, with all her people. They'd been waiting for the elevator. We squeezed together (Eric pressing me against a corner) and as soon as the elevator doors closed Diantha and Glad started talking up a storm. Diantha looked at me and winked a signal that I should play along.

"Itlookedlike a deflatedball, itdid," Glad said. "Allshinyan' stuff."

"Nah! It looked more like a kidney bean made out of a mirror," I countered. I wasn't yet sure why they wanted me to talk, but they were protectors too, and if they wanted me to talk I talked.

"It was _huge_, 'boutdasize ofvahouse!" Diantha said waving her arms and smacking somebody in the head. I wasn't sure who, but that somebody hissed in response.

"Not that big, maybe the size of three school buses," I played along.

"What are you girls talking about?" Pam asked, getting into the spirit.

"We wenttoda Millennium Park aftabreakfastan' sawdasculpture," Glad explained.

"And Diantha and Glad put on a show in the amphitheatre. It was a moving performance," I said shooting the girls a smile from where I was squeezed behind Eric.

"Thank you!" they chimed in unison and the elevator doors opened on the twenty sixth floor, where the conference rooms and ballrooms were located.

We filed out of the elevator. The floor was already heavy with other visitors, and Eric didn't wait to thread my arm into his. Pam and Thalia took their positions and we followed everyone into the busy main corridor. This was where the vendors were located. They sold everything from caskets, to fang enhancements, music to… a certain database. I looked away as we passed by it. One of the other Louisiana sheriffs, a smiley large woman named Cleo Babbitt, was helping Bill with the transactions. Bill was trying his best to look friendly whenever anybody asked him a question. His whole upper arm had grown back already, but I didn't want to look at him too closely.

"Her Majesty needs Sookie by her side," Andre said to us before going back to his spot behind Sophie-Anne.

My heart sank. This was it, what I'd come here for. I looked up at Eric and he tried his best to give me an encouraging smile, but he couldn't fool me. Thalia took my arm and threaded it through hers, just like Eric had done, except she was much smaller and didn't make me feel as safe. Not that I wasn't safe (Thalia was significantly stronger than Eric), but I didn't _feel_ as safe. I got over it and let go of Eric. Thalia and I made our way to Sophie-Anne's side. She was being approached by a man wearing a sash that read Kentucky, who was… alone? No, that couldn't be right. Every regent had at least one bodyguard. I let down my shields and found two buzzing brains right behind him. That took me by surprise. The Britlingens were there, but invisible. They must have cast out some kind of force shield around him, because nobody approached within three feet of him.

I stopped listening to any of the audible conversations and searched with my brain, holding onto Thalia's arm a little harder. She would have to steer me when it was time to move because I wouldn't be listening to any verbal cues. She actually patted my hand reassuringly. We looked like two old biddies holding hands.

The onslaught of thoughts from humans and shifters was overwhelming. Everyone was excited about being here. There weren't that many shifters, so I was able to tune out their hazy thoughts and concentrate on humans. Most of the humans there were either companions (read: food and sex), or employees. Therefore, most thoughts centered on sex or the tasks at hand. I risked a headache and kept my shields down as we walked through the crowd. Some people saw me as Thalia's lover; that was interesting to watch. Some people wondered what was wrong with me that I was leaning so heavily on a vampire. I rectified my posture after that. I heard thoughts of official nature, and knew those were the people working security. As I heard with my ears the actual codes, I saw with my mind what they meant.

_Intoxicated human in the men's room. Okay we will check it out. Public feeding inside an empty ballroom. Someone stole a music CD from one of the tables. Two females arguing in the ladies'._ On and on it went, until I had to block out those thoughts. We were being approached by Stan Davis. He was wearing a sash that read Texas. Apparently he was the new King of Texas. Look at that! I smiled and looked at his companions. Isabel was there, looking well, and someone new. It was the bellboy. I _knew_ I'd heard him.

I carefully shielded from Barry, but he had no such ability. He'd been doing the same thing I'd been doing, listening to everyone's minds. He was also not tuning out the shifter brains like I had. I focused on his brain to see what he was picking up when we both heard it. It was a snarled thought that did not belong to a shifter brain. This was certainly a human brain, and it was so full of hate and malice that both Barry and I started. I closed my eyes briefly, trying to find the source. I could "see" so much better if I wasn't being bombarded by my actual sight. I felt my heart pick up its rhythm and cold fear run down my back. I also felt Eric's strong hands immediately on my shoulders. I shook my head. This was important. He could stay but he needed to not speak.

I opened my eyes and found Barry staring at me with a question in his eyes. _"Can you hear me?"_ he thought very clearly at me. I nodded. _"Did you hear that?" _he asked me again.

I frowned and nodded. _"We need to find the source,"_ I said to him silently and he nodded. We both ended up looking in the same direction. There was a man with a tray of True Blood and champagne glasses walking back to the service area. Barry saw him too. We knew it was him because the same brain broadcasted what he was seeing before him: the door to the service area and the tray in his peripheral vision.

Andre approached me and asked me what was wrong in a whisper. I told him about the man who had been thinking harm against vampires and he disappeared. So did Isabel from Stan's entourage. They emerged with the man held by the two of them, and were quickly approached by the hotel's security.

Now what? Would anybody believe that Barry and I had just read the man's mind? Highly doubtful. Two large shifters that worked Security took the man away, and we all resumed our "Meet & Greet" as if nothing had happened. I felt Eric's retreat. Thalia had not once let go of me.

We spent two more hours at this, and I was happy when it was time to go to one of the conferences so I could sit down and rest my brain. Of all things they could talk about, the lecture was on Employment Law. It made sense, I guessed, since all the regents and their sheriffs employed humans. It interested me insofar as my husband was the owner of several businesses. After the first hour or so, I got bored. I was sitting between Thalia and Andre. Eric was in the row behind us, and a few chairs away. I took out my phone.

_What are you doing?_ I texted Eric.

_Looking at your neck,_ he texted back. I'd worn my hair half up again, but my neck was sort of covered anyway by the collar of my blazer and my necklace.

_You liar. You can't see it._

_I can see it and I want it. You're making me hungry._

Oh, boy! Bad idea to start texting Eric in the middle of a conference. I kept going anyway. _I need to use the ladies'._

_I'll go with you._ I saw him stand from the corner of my eye and I didn't think twice. I whispered to Thalia that Eric was taking me to the bathroom, stood up and followed him out of the conference room to a side hall.

I found myself pinned to the wall with a hungry vampire kissing my neck over and over. I felt my skin flush and my desire flare. Claudette's words about public places hammered at my brain, but this narrow hall off the conference room was too public. As if on cue, we heard someone clear their throat somewhere near us. Immediately I pulled Eric's body to me, to hide a very happy gracious plenty that was straining the seams of his dress pants.

"You weren't engaging in public feeding, were you, Northman?" From the sound of the purring voice I could tell it was Quinn. I wasn't looking because I had buried my face into Eric's dark gray shirt.

"What do you want Quinn? Other than to interrupt an innocent kiss between husband and wife?" Eric asked. I knew he was smirking.

"The head of security of the hotel sent me to find out how your wife and Stan Davis' guy knew that the man they apprehended was in impostor," Quinn answered. His voice had deepened. He meant business now. "I know how they did it, but would never dream of disclosing it before speaking to their respective employers."

Of course Quinn would know of my abilities. He'd figured out I could read minds just like Claudine. Barry had behaved similarly, and Quinn added it all up. He wasn't completely stupid. However, I hadn't known that the man was an impostor, only that he meant to do harm. That was something I would have to explore with Claudine. I knew my power was limited to what a person was thinking, and trying to actively search someone's mind hurt me. But my inability to search for memories would have put all of us in serious trouble if that man had been able to think rationally and neither I nor Barry had picked up on his intentions. If I had no way to search inside somebody's mind, then we were all vulnerable.

"Who was the man?" Eric asked, not moving from my grip.

"He was a Soldier of Light. That's what the extremists from the Fellowship of the Sun are calling themselves nowadays. He stole a uniform from a dry cleaner and entered the hotel as an employee. With all the commotion from the summit, he went unnoticed. Thankfully, no matter what happens now, security will be doubled and measures have been taken to ensure that every employee that enters is properly identified." Quinn nodded and left.

I hated to admit that I was scared. A Soldier of Light? Here? At a vampire summit? Were they putting together an act of terrorism? Did they mean to do harm in such a manner? I shuddered and hugged myself to Eric.

**TBC**


	53. Something Borrowed, Something Blue

**A/N: **I was adamant that I wasn't gonna look at the book while I wrote this, and so I didn't look at the book, and I didn't double-check the name of Quinn's biz. Whoopsies! So I fixed most of the mistakes (I may have left a few). Now I'm hiding in shame behind Eric... and he just jumped 'cause I may have inadvertently squeezed his butt. :-P

Girls, I'm spreading the word: make sure you check your favorite stories once in a while to see if they've updated. I'm getting only some alerts, and some are arriving in my inbox outrageously late. I guess this was my public service announcement…?

* * *

**Chapter 53 – Something Borrowed, Something Blue**

"Quinn!" Eric called out, making the shifter turn around. "Does the head of security need my wife for anything?" Eric asked, finally taking himself away from my embrace. He was trying to soothe me, but at the same time I knew he had to handle this. If not him, then it would have to be someone from the Queen's retinue, like Andre. I preferred Eric, and I'm sure Eric preferred Eric too.

"Not at this time. She might be called later," Quinn said raising an eyebrow.

"I rather it be now. Where is his office?" Eric said rising to his full height.

"They are still interrogating the man. Maybe it's better if she's not there for it," Quinn said, puffing himself up too. The two men were impressive. Who had the bigger penis, and all that macho bull.

Eric thought about it briefly. "Please let the chief of security know that he may not speak to my wife unless I am present. So if he wants to speak with her he better do it tonight. She will be busy tomorrow."

I felt like a toy, and my owner was telling the other kids that nobody was allowed to play with me unless he was there to play with me too. Possessive jerks, all of them! Whatever. I didn't want to talk to anybody about anything anyway. What would I say? "The guy thought nasty things"? Who would believe it? I looked at the two men in the hall, preening like peacocks. _They_ believed what Barry and I had seen. But if Queen Sophie-Anne didn't give permission for my secret ability to be known, then there wasn't anything I could tell the chief of security other than the guy looked suspicious and hope they'd believe me.

Eric turned to look at me. He could feel my internal struggle, but I didn't feel like sharing. I could tell my mood had turned sour. Freakin' hormones. Plus it didn't help that Quinn had interrupted the one thing that was making me feel better.

"Are you thirsty?" Eric asked, giving me an out. I loved him then, so, so much.

"Yes! I'm really thirsty. I need something like iced tea," I said. That wouldn't be as easy to get as water, so we'd have to go up one floor to the lobby and to one of the restaurants there. The refreshments for humans in the vampire conference left much to be desired. The refreshments for vampires, however… There had been willing humans standing off to the sides near special rooms set up for feeding or whatever else they were willing to do. I didn't even want to think about it.

Eric took my hand and we walked past Quinn to the nearest bank of elevators. As soon as we were inside one he stopped it by flicking some switch inside a box. I was pretty sure he'd broken the lock on the box in order to do that. Eric proceeded to finish what he'd started in the hall.

"Come here, you owe me some neck," he said nuzzling me and taking my scent inside himself.

"I'm too stressed for necking," I said. It was a half truth. Eric was starting to talk me into it.

"Shh… let me kiss you," he said inside a breath and moved my face up, peppering my jaw with soft kisses that moved to my cheeks, then my forehead. I closed my eyes and felt his cool breath on my eyelashes as he brushed his lips past them. Finally he kissed my lips, soft pecks that I returned kiss for kiss. He pulled away just as I thought he was going to kiss me more passionately. "There. Are you better?"

"No," I said pouting and crossing my arms.

"What do you want?" he asked giving me one of his sexy smiles. They were different from his smug ones.

"I want you to finish what you started," I said, still pouting.

Eric didn't say anything and knelt in front of me, running his hands up my legs and reaching for my panties. He pulled them down in one swift move and stuck them in the inside pocket of his blazer.

"Eric! What are you doing?"

"Sookie, that is a silly question," he answered and disappeared under my skirt. Why? Why did he have to do this to me now? I held onto the handrails at either side of me as he pulled one of my legs over his shoulder and spread my folds first with his fingers then with his tongue. _Jesus Christ Shepherd of Judea, inside an elevator!_

My breath picked up at the same time as my heart, and I began shaking when his fingers started thrusting inside me. I let out a sound from somewhere inside my chest, low and feral, and stopped it before it could get any louder. He kept his assault, nice and steady, dipping inside me, lapping at my center with a hungry moan. My head lolled back as I gave myself over to the feeling. I came into his mouth, listening to his greedy groan as he licked me clean.

When Eric reappeared he was licking his fingers giving me a hungry look. "Better?" he asked, leaning over me as I tried to recover.

"Mmm-hmm..." I said and looked up. "Oh, God! Eric! That's a camera!" I said, pointing at the small cover mounted on a corner of the elevator. I hung my head in shame. How many security people had just seen my husband go down on me?

"It was probably attached to this cable," he said pulling on a frayed cable from inside the box. "Would you stop worrying? Nobody cares," Eric grabbed my waist. "Come here." He brought my face up and kissed me, even through my protests.

"You know I'm not like that. You know I don't like to share our private life with anybody. How could you, Eric?"

"I swear to you that nobody saw us," Eric said with a dead serious expression. "I would never do that to you."

I didn't take my eyes off him. If he hadn't meant what he said he would have smiled after a few moments, but he didn't. "You better be right, Eric Northman."

"I don't share well," he said, "Except with my son." Eric caressed my baby bump lovingly.

"Your daughter," I corrected, calming down by degrees.

"Our baby," he whispered and smiled.

Eventually we returned to the conference. Eric had refused to return my underwear and I was very grateful that my skirt wasn't that short. When the Employment Law lecture was over it was time for me to follow the Queen around some more.

Pam was in charge of me now, and she took my arm with a fangy smile. I knew she could tell I had no underwear and could probably smell Eric all over me, and God only knew what else. I rolled my eyes but held her arm tight. She knew the drill. She would have to guide me as I opened my mind. We passed too close to the vampire snacks and I had no choice but to listen. There was an assortment of men and women, and they were certainly willing participants in all this. One of them was adding up his paychecks. They made extremely good money, and they even got tips. Who knew?

The rest of the evening was quiet but left me exhausted, mentally and physically. Vampires didn't tire at all until it came close to sunrise, so they had no true concept of what the word meant. Eric sort of did, since he could feel my weariness, so when we got to our room he did everything he could to make me comfortable, even forfeiting his pillows so I could sleep with my feet raised.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Diantha and Gladiola came to get me at noon, and I dragged my butt downstairs but only because I was hungry and I knew I shouldn't spend all day inside. We decided to walk a little ways to a restaurant outside the hotel. The restaurant had a patio that overlooked Lake Michigan, so we decided to sit there to eat. It was another pleasant day. Mr. C. had joined us, just like the day before, and far from the hotel we could finally speak candidly.

"The chief of security approached me last night to ask about you," Mr. C. said. "I think he was trying to see if I would tell him what you can do without having to ask the Queen or Andre directly."

I swallowed a large gulp of my iced tea. "Eric didn't want me talking to him by myself. He told Quinn that the security guy could only speak to me if Eric was there."

"Of course, that's as it should be. I also don't know what Stan's people told the chief about the other boy. I don't know why it would matter anyway. The man was easily glamoured into telling the truth about his intentions. How they arrived at the information is immaterial now that they have a confession." Mr. C. paused as our food arrived, and looked at me with a benevolent smile. "I see congratulations are in order," he said, sort of pointing at my stomach, but sort of not. He could have been pointing at my food. At least he'd answered one of my questions: whether or not he could see auras. He could.

I smiled, unable to stay serious anymore. "Thank you, Mr. C. That's very nice of you."

"When is the child due?" he asked. I noticed the girls were absorbed in our conversation.

"At the end of September," I answered and couldn't help but put a hand on top of my belly. I thought I'd felt a kick.

"Da'swhy Pam gaveusda invitation for LaborDay," Diantha said looking like she had finally caught on to something.

I was confused. "What invitation?"

"The baby shower invitation," Mr. C. answered. "That was very nice of her." He looked at me oddly. "Oh! I suppose it was meant as a surprise. I am so sorry, Sookie."

I blinked. Pam was planning a surprise baby shower for me? I looked down quickly to hide the sudden tears that threatened to spill. I was so touched. Pam wanted to do something special, and she was so excited about the baby, and... Oh, God! These hormones would be the death of me! Glad was closest and rubbed my back soothingly.

"Areyamad?" she asked.

"No, not mad. I'm touched," I said and tried a smile. It kind of lost its effect when my tears ran down my cheeks anyway.

The girls returned me to my room so I could rest for the upcoming night. Eric was due to officiate in Russell Edgington's wedding, and there would be a party afterwards. Before all the reveling, though, was Queen Sophie-Anne's trial in the death of Peter Threadgill. It was guaranteed to be a strange night, and a long one.

I slept on and off, and when Eric woke up for the night he found me watching a movie that had me in stitches. It was an animated movie, but I didn't care. Eric seemed to like those anyway.

"What's so funny?" he asked, snuggling up to me and putting his head on my belly. He was listening to our kiddo and watching TV at the same time.

"The little minion creatures are hilarious," I said pointing at the yellow boxy cartoons that were jumping around the TV screen.

We followed the same routine as the night before (minus the sex; we really didn't have time tonight), and headed out. He was wearing a to-die-for navy suit, and I was wearing a professional ensemble in gray that resembled what I'd had on the night before, as well as all my amulets. We'd have to come back and change before the wedding. Just as before, we were joined by Pam and Thalia, and Mr. C., Glad and Diantha as we waited for the elevator. We went directly to the twenty sixth floor and to the conference room where the Queen's trial would take place in a matter of minutes. Apparently all of Louisiana was to sit up front. One of the security shifters, acting as an usher, showed us to our seats after asking us to what state we belonged.

A minute or so later the crowd hushed to murmurs as an extremely old vampire woman was brought to sit in the middle of the raised stage at the front of the room. I stared in disbelief. Someone had turned her when she was already old and wizened. Usually people got turned during the prime of their life, when they were at their most beautiful and enticing. The woman's entire skin looked like wrinkled onion paper, and her eyes were milky and unseeing. Her hair had been brushed carefully into a long braid, probably by one of the attendants who were now leaving the stage.

"The Ancient Pythoness," Eric whispered to me. I had to really think hard. I'd heard the name, but where? In what context? Eric took pity on me and explained in a very low voice and very quickly. "She's the oracle that Alexander the Great consulted."

As if the old woman had heard Eric, she turned her head to us, her blind eyes trained on either me or him, I couldn't tell. She whispered something and one of her attendants was immediately by my side. "The Ancient Pythoness requests your presence beside her," the attendant said. She was a vampire that had been turned in her mid-twenties, or so, with a low soothing voice.

Eric stood up immediately and the attendant frowned. "Not you, sir. This woman only," she said.

"She is my wife," Eric said with a deep rumble in his chest.

"Viking!" the Pythoness called from the stage. "I will not hurt her. Don't be daft," she said with something that sounded like an English accent, but what did I know?

I stood up and looked at Eric. He was stressed but his expression gave nothing away. He was trying really hard to keep himself in check. I squeezed his hand and gave him a tiny smile before following the attendant to the stage.

The Pythoness held out her hand as soon as I was near enough, evidently asking for mine. I put mine in hers, feeling like I could break her with my touch. "Let me whisper in your ear, child," she said in a very low voice. I bent to put my face close to hers. She smelled of roses. "Whose child are you carrying?"

I know I should have been taken aback, but an oracle might have seen this one coming, so I simply answered in the lowest whisper possible. "My husband's," I paused and added, "the Viking."

The old woman nodded. She was looking at me, or at least her face was turned my way. She let go of my hand. It was impossible to read her expression as she reached up to touch my necklace. She paused over my breast briefly then proceeded to touch the amber stones delicately. "You are protected, I see, and god-touched. These have come to your aid, I see that as well. Will you tell me?"

I guessed she wanted me to tell her about the night during Queen Sophie-Anne's engagement when Peter Threadgill's second was about to kill me. I went ahead and told her everything that happened that night, how Quinn and the lions had come to my rescue after the necklace became activated with my screams. I was shaking by the time I finished.

"You are all right now, child. Nothing will happen to you here. You have already taken care of the threat, have you not?" she asked using a slightly higher volume that was still very low. I was sure the vampires could hear our conversation by now.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't know what you mean?" I said trying to be polite at the same time that I told her I was clueless.

"The man you helped apprehend last night. He and his partners would have caused a lot of damage and brought about many deaths if it had not been for you. Did you not know?" I shook my head and she either saw me or felt me, because she continued explaining. "I saw the building caving in after several explosions. Many people burned in the sun or perished under the debris. The survivors were badly injured and needed a long time to recover. This will not happen now. The future has changed. You truly are god-touched," she put her hand on my cheek and gave me a toothless smile. How did she eat?

"Thank you, ma'am," I said dazed.

"After what you have told me about the King of Arkansas' second, there is no doubt in my mind that Sophie-Anne Leclerq acted in self-defense," she said in a slightly higher voice meant for all the vampires in the room to hear. There were several people scribbling notes suddenly, all of them seated along the first row. They reminded me of scribes from olden times. "Go rejoin your husband, child, before he comes up here and steals you."

I smiled. How could she tell? "Thank you again, ma'am." I left the stage and sat back next to Eric. Everyone in the room had their eyes on me, but I only had eyes for him. I was beaming, and little by little my smile transferred to him. We all waited until the attendants got the Ancient Pythoness out of the room, and with that the case against Sophie-Anne was dismissed.

Eric and I remained seated waiting for the crowd to scatter. Pam and Thalia stood behind us. Everyone was too astonished to speak. Sophie-Anne approached us with Andre and Sigebert, having left Waldo babysitting Bill.

"Sookie, I owe you my gratitude," she said and bowed to me. _The Queen bowed to me!_ While I was seating, which meant she had to bow low to make it proper. All I'd done was told the old woman my story. The Queen and her people left and I felt Pam's hand on my shoulder. I took it and squeezed it. I could feel Eric's pride rolling off him in waves.

All four of us walked slowly to the main corridor with the intention of going to our rooms and getting ready for the wedding. However our paths were impeded by the vampires who wanted to bow to me in reverence. If Eric hadn't been so surprised he would have gotten into several fights due to their proximity. Even though their minds were voids, all I could see in their faces was wonder and awe. Of me. There were murmurs that I was god-touched and protected, so I knew what part of the conversation they'd heard. We were finally able to make it to the elevators with the help of a couple of shifters from security. They parted the crowd for us, although there was no need for them to do much more than ask everyone politely to move out of the way.

The wedding was set to start in two hours, so we had some time to ourselves alone in our room, which Eric put quickly to good use. He began kissing me as soon as we closed the door to our bedroom. We made it to the bed in a frenzy of discarded clothes. I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders and now I wanted to celebrate our good fortune.

"You never cease to amaze me," Eric muttered while burying his face between my breasts. I held his head there, his cool breath the perfect antidote for my hot skin.

"What did I do now?" I asked, no really sure what was so amazing.

"You saved the Queen from a death sentence simply by telling the Pythoness what happened."

"I know. I was amazed too," I said, barely believing it myself.

"What did she ask you in the beginning?"

"Whose child I was carrying," I said, caressing his hair.

He moved to kiss my belly over and over, showing me with actions the answer to the Pythoness' question. "My baby, my wife, my two loves."

His words and his feelings of devotion inside me opened the floodgates and I was off crying again. Eric returned to me and held me tight, letting me cry myself out before making love to me tenderly and getting me back to normal (or as normal as I got these days). It had been a rollercoaster of a day.

We dressed in our formal wear and I have to say that my husband looked sexy as hell in a traditional tuxedo, with wide shoulders and tailored pants. I lifted his jacket briefly to take a gander at his butt. He had to put on his robes on top of the tuxedo, which was truly a shame. I, with Pam's help, had found a beautiful strapless ruched silk gown in a pretty beige color (Pam said taupe) that went well with my necklace and my tan. Eric helped me zip up and was clearly admiring. It had a dark gold sash that fit above my waist, giving it the right look to hide my belly under all the pretty silk. My boobs, however, were very much in evidence inside the sweetheart neckline of the bodice. I'd had my hair up during the first part of the night, so when I took it out of the twist it fell in waves over my shoulders. Eric said he liked it, and since his opinion mattered the most, I left it as it was.

Pam and Thalia met us outside again, and I had to do a double take. Sure I'd seen Pam dressed up and she always looked very sophisticated, but Thalia looked stunning. She was small to begin with, though not as petite as Pam. Her dark hair and eyes went very well with a soft pink one shoulder floor length gown. She had fixed her curls into beautiful ringlets and put them half up. Now, if we could only get her to smile. Pam's dress was similar but strapless in a vivid blue. Her eyes turned the same color.

We went to the conference room that had been decorated to become the venue for the wedding. It was the same one we'd been in, with the stage up front, except now the stage was decorated with a large Egyptian cross (an ankh, I think), with black and blue silk draped on the wall behind the stage. There was a small table draped with a similar cloth of black and blue silk. That's where the knife would be, the same one Eric and I had used during our marriage ceremony. Eric had it. He had to leave us girls to go get ready for the ceremony. Mr. C., Diantha, and Gladiola sat behind us and we started making small talk. Soon the Queen's whole entourage (including Bill) was seated near us. A hush came over the audience as Eric emerged to stand behind the table. Somewhere off to the side of the stage where I couldn't see, someone started playing a haunting sonata on the piano, and we all turned to watch as the King of Mississippi and the King of Indiana strolled down the main aisle arm in arm. They both looked very happy.

The ceremony was very similar to our own wedding ceremony, except there was a little more ritual and things went by a bit slower. Of course they were: they weren't doing this under threat of being taken away from each other. But I wasn't bitter, no siree. At the end of the ceremony the two men cut each other's wrists with the knife and drank blood from each other. The silence in the room pressed on my ears, and that's when I realized the mistake of me being here. Everybody turned to look at me, even the two lovebirds up on stage.

They had all heard the baby. They had all heard the second fast heartbeat inside my body.

Eric's fear tore me apart as Pam, Thalia, Glad, Diantha, and even Mr. C. all took defensive positions around me. Call me stupid, but all I could see in the eyes of the audience was the same sort of wonder they'd had for me earlier. Leave it up to me to surprise a whole room full of vampires. Twice.

Queen Sophie-Anne was the first to speak. "Sookie? Are you with child?"

There was no use denying it now. "Yes, your majesty."

Amazing, that creatures who don't really need to breathe all gave a collective gasp. The few humans in the room immediately thought artificial insemination, so I was hoping that's where the vampires' minds had gone also. Eric was beside me then, able to breach the wall made by my protectors to put a possessive arm around me. I welcomed that possessive arm, feeling safe only by his side.

The Queen recovered quickly, and diffused the situation as only someone like her could. "This is wonderful news! The Northmans are having a baby!" she announced like it was the most normal thing in the world for a vampire's wife and blood bonded to have a child. Okey-dokey.

**TBC**


	54. Magnificent

**A/N: **Let's hear it for the Viking! YAY! Here he comes!

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**Chapter 54 – Magnificent**

I never knew exactly what Sookie meant whenever she said that the bottom dropped from her stomach until every vampire in attendance at that wedding turned to look at her as we all heard the beating heart of my unborn child. It's a sort of fear that has no description. It is so intense that it grips you and makes you immobile. I had never felt such fear until that night. The thought of losing my wife was bad enough, but the thought of losing my wife and child completely filled me with dread. I moved much slower than I would have liked, and only Pam let me through the circle of protectors around Sookie, and only because I commanded her to allow me entrance.

"This is wonderful news! The Northmans are having a baby!" Sophie-Anne said, trying to lighten the mood in the room.

I scanned the faces of the crowd and understood why Sookie's fear hadn't escalated. They all looked at her in a sort of wonder. After her public meeting with the Pythoness she had become someone to be respected, more than a regent, even. The talk of her being god-touched and protected carried a lot of weight, and the knowledge that she was expecting a child simply added to the miracle that was this woman.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Northman? Miss Sookie?" Russell Edgington had left the stage and was now standing close to our circle, but not too close. Sookie turned, as did I. Thalia growled at the King of Mississippi and I allowed it. Everyone needed to know Sookie had powerful protectors.

"Yes, your majesty?" Sookie asked from under my arm, looking through the bodies of Thalia and Pam.

"Will you and your husband join us on stage, and will you honor us by blessing our union?" Russell asked.

A slow smile formed on Sookie's lips, and I must say that I started to lower my guard. They meant her no harm. Not only that, but they revered her. I was not foolish enough to think that later she and our child would be safe. I was sure there would always be someone who wanted to harm them. But for now I guided her to the stage, had her say the words that would bless the marriage of the two kings, and enjoyed the fact that the most important people from a large swath of the country held her in the highest of esteems.

"You were magnificent," I whispered in her ear as I held her in my arms and we danced. It filled me with pride that she had picked me as her mate. I had always known she was exceptional, but now I understood just how incomparable she was.

"You always say that, and I never believe you," she said, putting her head on my chest.

I let my hand roam over her bare shoulders and she moved her hand to the nape of my neck, caressing it softly. "You believed me when I told you that I love you. With repetition you will believe that you are magnificent."

"By then it will have gone to my head and you'll regret telling me that to begin with," she giggled and I smiled at the things that still came out of her mouth. One of her many charms: her sense of humor.

Quinn cleared the dance floor for a show, and I kept Sookie close so she could have an uninterrupted view. She had seen these dancers before, and I knew she enjoyed them. "Please give a warm welcome to Sean and Layla!" Quinn announced. Sookie gave them the warmest applause. She watched the couple, enraptured in their movements, and I knew the moment she was holding back tears. I gave her my handkerchief, my silent encouragement to let the tears flow, to let the emotions out. I kissed her hair and she pressed her body into mine, telling me so much with that simple gesture.

I knew Sean and Layla's story. I knew Layla had been human when they had been dance partners. Layla had been stabbed, and to save her Sean had to turn her. One of these days, hopefully not too soon, I would have to turn Sookie as well. It was not something she saw for herself, but she was always careful to add "at this time" whenever we spoke about it. At this time I wanted her to live her human life to the fullest, to pretend she had a human husband who worked nights and slept days, to bring up our children with my help. She had slowed her aging with the help of my blood, but eventually she would reach the age when she would leave me alone forever, and that thought tore at my insides like a rabid animal. That is _if_ she reached old age. Any number of things happened to humans, and they simply ceased to exist. I never thought of it that way until it was my wife's existence that was at stake.

She looked up then, probably feeling my turmoil. She gave me back my handkerchief and put her hand on my cheek, trying to soothe me. Who but this woman would ever care as much?

Sean and Layla approached us, and Sookie became giddy with excitement. "You guys are so wonderful! Your dancing is so moving, you had me crying and gave me goose bumps!" she gushed.

"With your husband's permission I would like to take you out for a dance, Mrs. Northman," Sean said and bowed low to her then to me.

As much as I wanted to, I couldn't deny her a dance with a professional. "Sookie? Would you like to dance with Sean?"

"Yes! Thank you, Sean," she said, putting her small hand in the hand of the redheaded vampire.

Layla remained by my side, watching her maker and mate dance with my wife. She was smiling indulgently, I noticed. "We saw your wife dancing with you earlier. She's naturally graceful, a latent talent, perhaps?"

"Perhaps," I said noncommittally. I watched her dance and get an impromptu lesson. Her hair, her arms, the sway of her hips, the way she tried to catch my eye every time she turned my way… how was it possible for my cold dead heart to sing for her?

But sing it did, and when she was delivered to my arms again I gave her a passionate kiss that earned us applause and hooting from the crowd. She looked down embarrassed, but happy.

We escaped the gala after a few more dances. The night was still young and there was one thing that I wanted Sookie to experience: the city at night. "We have been inside the hotel these past two nights," I said as we walked hand in hand through the doors of the lobby.

"Everything is the same as it is during the day, but dark. Everything still moves at the same speed," she said, admiring the sights that met her. We walked a block to the second tallest building in Chicago: the Hancock Tower. It was a dark monster against the blue black sky.

Sookie stood at the corner of the sidewalk and looked up, and up. "Are we going up there?"

"Do you want to?"

"Question with a question?"

I laughed. "Yes, my love. Come on. They left the observation floor open all night knowing there's a vampire summit next door. Otherwise they would have closed at midnight."

"It's past midnight?" she asked looking down at herself. "Hey! I still have all my shoes and I still look pretty."

"You look gorgeous, Sookie-ella," I said, holding a door open for her.

"And my prince is still hanging around," she smiled up at me. How she could think of me as a prince was beyond me.

"More like your frog," I caught her waist and brought her close. "Kiss me, Princess Sookie."

She tried to pull away. "You naughty toad! I don't kiss frogs to which I have not been introduced properly." I nuzzled her delicious neck and she giggled.

That's when I knew I couldn't do it. I couldn't turn Sookie on a whim, simply because I was selfish. I couldn't do to her what I did to Pam. Pam wasn't cold-hearted, but she pretended to be and that was just as bad. If I ever lost my Sookie in that way, I would never be able to forgive myself. I had almost lost my own love of life, and Sookie had been my reminder. She loved that part of me as much as I loved it in her.

We took the elevator to the observation floor of the Hancock Tower, with Sookie pausing to pop her ears before proceeding to the floor-to-ceiling windows. I could feel her joy and elation at the sight that met her eyes. I could do these things for her. I could give her experiences.

"Eric, this is beautiful…" she said within a breath. We weren't the only ones admiring the view, but there weren't many others. "Look! A Ferris Wheel! Look at all those tiny boats on the lake… The cars look like ants with red butts," she laughed.

"Sookie," I got her attention and reached for her hand, pulling her to me. "How about a kiss from the top of the world?"

She smiled and tilted her head up, putting her hands on my shoulders and pulling me down. The kiss turned delicious, and I very much wanted her but had to bide my time. She deserved to see the whole view and linger if she wished. So I pulled away and she gave me a small pout before her face turned puzzled. She looked around us and ended up looking at the King of Kentucky, who had just made his way to the side of the building where we were standing.

"What's wrong?" I whispered in her ear.

"Nothing is wrong," she turned to me again quickly with a look that told me she would fill me in later. Whatever she wanted to say could not be said in front of the other vampire.

The King of Kentucky noticed us and nodded politely. It was highly unusual for him to be alone, but perhaps his companions were in another part of the building. Meanwhile Sookie was moving to admire the view from somewhere else. We were hidden from the view of others when she spun around in place, looking somewhere behind her.

"Hello?" she asked in a low voice. I thought she might be losing her mind for about half a second when I saw the air shimmer and a Britlingen appeared. I got between her and Sookie immediately, not knowing the threat.

"Salutations, Northman family," the Britlingen bowed low. "I am Batanya," she said and stood up. It is not often that I am confused; I do not enjoy the feeling. I was confused at the sudden appearance of an inter-dimensional guard.

"Nice to finally meet you," Sookie said from behind me, looking around me. I stepped aside but only a fraction. I knew I would be no match for a Britlingen's quick sword, but better I take the brunt of it than Sookie.

"I mean you no harm, Sheriff. We were summoned to protect the King of Kentucky. We were told that your wife averted an attack on the hotel and I wanted to thank her. Also, if you are in need of guardians we can recommend you to our people," Batanya said directly to me then she looked around me at Sookie. "You can sense us?"

Sookie was quiet for a few seconds. I wasn't sure whether I wanted her to tell the Britlingen about her telepathy. She did and didn't. "Something like that," Sookie answered.

The Britlingen eyed her, but as usual with these creatures, she gave nothing away. "You are an amazing human, Mrs. Northman," and with that she disappeared in another shimmer of air. I couldn't smell her, hear her or feel her move. Sookie remained staring at a point in mid-distance where she could still sense the Britlingen's mind.

"That was nice… wasn't it?" Sookie asked looking up at me. "I mean, that she would recommend us to her people. Will that aid in negotiations?"

I looked at her, surprised that she knew all or part of what happened when one summoned a Britlingen. "Yes, I imagine that would be so," I answered.

"Mr. C. told me some of it yesterday," she said interpreting my expression.

"There is no better bodyguard for you and our baby," I said. I had not come across many, and now that I found they could become invisible, completely undetectable, I was completely sure that summoning a couple to take care of Sookie would be the right decision. The disappearing act must have been new. I'd never witnessed it before, as well I should not have.

"I understand," she said and turned to look at the city again but I could tell she didn't like the idea of having a Britlingen guard. I would have to think of an alternative, or a buffer. I wondered how much protection a witch could conjure around Sookie, if it would be enough to protect her completely. The Britlingens were still my first choice.

We left after taking in the whole city from every angle and joined the King of Kentucky (and the invisible Britlingens) in the elevator. He was an odd person, never trusted anyone, and didn't say anything to us other than nod as we entered the elevator. Sookie and I walked at a leisurely pace back to the hotel, holding hands and enjoying each other's silent company. The King of Kentucky was a bit farther ahead.

Everything happened so quickly that I had no time to react. Without any alerting noise or sound a car careened towards us, jumping the sidewalk. I lifted Sookie and flew straight up, but that was not why I was stunned. Right where we had been standing, a Britlingen had stopped the car with such force that the whole front disintegrated. None of it had touched her.

Sookie started hyperventilating in my arms, her heart barely able to remain inside her chest. I got us away from the scene and into the hotel quickly. "Breathe slowly, Sookie. Come on, dear one, you're all right." I did not put her down, only held her in my arms. It was one of the few times I wished I could have glamoured her.

"Are you two okay?" the King of Kentucky asked. Batanya had shown herself and was running behind him.

Sookie couldn't contain her tears and buried her face against me. I was worried that the fright had harmed her. Soon we were surrounded by others and in minutes the paramedics arrived. I had no choice but to let them look her over.

I watched as a man and a woman worked around her and on her, putting a cuff on her arm, making her say her name, counting her heart beats, which were almost as fast as the baby's usual heartbeat.

"How far along are you?" the woman paramedic asked Sookie.

"Nine… nineteen weeks," she breathed, shaking.

"Your blood pressure is very high, so I'm going to give you some oxygen and we'll take it again in a few minutes, okay?" the man paramedic said, giving Sookie a mask that pumped the foul smelling gas.

Sookie looked at me and reached for me. I pushed the man aside and took his place beside her. He didn't say anything to me. There were many voices talking at the same time, but I focused on Sophie-Anne's and the King of Kentucky's.

"What happened?" she demanded from the King.

"I don't know. I was well ahead of them and some drunken person lost control of his car, almost slammed into them both. My guard stopped the car, and by then your sheriff was in the air with his wife," he answered, sounding concerned.

I heard Sophie-Anne's sure steps heading outside the lobby to the scene of the crash. I had to admire her determination to get to the bottom of what happened. I was sure she would question whatever authorities were outside. In the meantime the paramedics were taking Sookie's blood pressure again.

"Your blood pressure is coming down, Mrs. Northman," the woman said and Sookie turned her head to her. "Just a few more minutes and we can let you go."

Finally I was able to sort through my own fear and rage and feel Sookie within me. She was full of plain terror. Her free hand moved to her stomach, and I understood her fear now. I bent over her and put my ear to her womb. Why I hadn't thought of it earlier was beyond me. I counted heartbeats for six seconds and multiplied by ten.

"140 beats, still strong and healthy," I said to her. The next time they took her blood pressure it was back to normal.

Pam and Thalia were waiting for us amidst the crowd. It was the first time I'd ever seen Thalia truly worried, or showing any emotion, actually.

"Could one of you two find out from Queen Sophie-Anne what happened? She's making inquiries of the authorities outside," I ordered, lifting Sookie back into my arms. She allowed it and held me tight. Thalia left without a word and Pam followed us to the room and once there gave Sookie glass after glass of water. Sookie drank them without protest.

Pam answered the door before Sophie-Anne could even knock. She entered our room as if she owned it.

"Eric, give Thalia a raise when you get home," the Queen said shaking her head with an appreciative smile. "Alright, so this is what happened: the guy inside the car was a member of the Fellowship. Someone knows who Sookie is because that car was aimed at her, so the hotel's security has a leak. But that's neither here nor there for now; I'll take care of that. Anyway, the guy survived whatever happened to his car. Nobody knows how it got destroyed, but from seeing you both intact I'm going to assume one of the Britlingens intervened. So, the cops had the guy in custody in one of their cars, and I see Thalia just staring at him. That woman glamoured the idiot into yelling a confession. It was epic!" She turned to Sookie. "Don't worry, Sookie. You are one of my most precious people along with Eric. We will keep you safe. For now I'm keeping either Diantha or Gladiola on watch round the clock. When we get home we'll figure something else out. Good night, guys!"

With that she left.

Sookie, Pam, and I continued looking at the door in utter disbelief.

**TBC**

**A/N: Is it considered a cliffhanger? I dunno... maybe. Is Rebelina crazy? I dunno... maybe. She keeps answering her own questions. I'm actually really happy about how much love my three major fics have been getting. And, finally, a reminder to all of you to set me on author alert (I'm pushy, yes) because I may be adding side stories, etc. :-)**


	55. Revenge is a Dish Best Served Hot

**A/N:** One of my faithful readers, sluggysmom, told me that I could read chapter 3 of _Dead Reckoning_ by going to the Penguin Group website. I did, and I shall reserve judgment until the whole book comes out. Only about a month to go, I think. If anybody would like to check it out just Google "Penguin Group," and search for CH through the authors.

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**Chapter 55 – Revenge is a Dish Best Served Hot**

I hadn't needed to plead and beg. We were going home because my desire to go home had been echoed by, pretty much, everyone. The whole contingent from the state of Louisiana decided that none of us were safe at that hotel, so we left. Simple. The only bad part was that the vampires all traveled in coffins inside the belly of the plane. The Queen decided we were all to leave immediately, and so immediate was our departure that the plane left only minutes before sunrise. Glad, Diantha, and Mr. C. were all in the main cabin with me, and I had calmed down considerably from my ordeal that now I was just plain tired. It didn't help that my morning sickness was back in full swing. I had imagined that maybe that was the baby's way of telling me she was upset. So I slept the whole way home, hoping it would help with the nausea and the exhaustion.

When we arrived in Shreveport, there was Bruce waiting with a van to transfer Eric, Thalia and Pam. The sheriffs of areas three and four were unloaded as well into other waiting vans, and then the plane took off to New Orleans with the Queen's people and the sheriff of area two.

I was glad to be home, even if I had to put up with Bruce. On the ride to the house, instead of attempting any kind of meaningless conversation with the man, I called Claudine. She was working, so I left her a message. Then I called Amelia. I hadn't spoken to her in about a week.

"Hey, Preggers! How's the munchkin?" she asked, not even bothering to ask who it was on the other line. She had me programmed into her phone's contacts.

"She's good. We had a huge scare in Chicago so we're all back early. Everyone from Louisiana boycotted the summit and we all got back today," I said and filled her in. She liked gossip. "And what's new with you?" I asked at the end of my account.

"I made a boo-boo," she said in a shy voice. It must have been a major boo-boo if she was being shy in any way. She was certainly not the type to be shy about anything.

"What happened?" I asked, bracing myself.

"I met this really nice guy, another witch, and we got really kinky one night and I may have, inadvertently, turned him into something other than human," she said really quickly. Her words had been a jumble, but I'd spent enough time with Glad and Diantha to make out what Amelia was saying.

"What did you turn him into?" I asked, truly curious now. I didn't know witches could transform people.

"A cat."

"A what?" I asked. I thought she said cat.

"A cat! I turned him into a cat, okay!" she shouted into the line.

"Well, turn him back!" I said, the voice of reason.

"I can't. Even turning him into a cat is a major feat of magic. I'm not sure how I did it, and now I can't undo it," she whined.

This was turning out to be one of the most bizarre conversations in my life. It ranked right up there with the day I found out I was a fairy princess. "So tell Octavia," I said, again using my very own common sense. This mothering thing suited me.

"If I tell Octavia she'll punish me for doing this kind of magic. I have to figure it out, and I will, I just need time. Sookie…?"

"Yes?"

"Didn't you say you had a condo you didn't use?" she asked, her voice dejected.

"You want to move to a condo in Shreveport? Away from your family?" Amelia had never mentioned her family, but I was sure she had some. Didn't she?

"I am asking whether I can rent your condo, and don't worry about my family. My dad doesn't really care. He's always too busy. So, can I?" she asked.

I started feeling less like a mom and more like a friend. She sounded sad and lost, very much unlike the Amelia I knew. I sighed. She'd made a mistake and was trying to correct it on her own. I could lend her a hand. "Let me run it by Eric tonight and I'll call you, but I don't see the problem. We haven't used the condo in ages."

We hung up after a little while, and I decided to call Sam. We still weren't home and I still didn't want to talk to Bruce.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" Sam asked as soon as he answered his phone. He was another one that had me programmed into his contacts. Didn't anybody say "hello?" anymore?

"I have tons of things to tell you," I said, taken aback. "Where do you want me to start?"

Sam took a breath and let it out into the phone. "How you came to be pregnant would be an interesting place to start," he said. He hadn't known, and the few times we'd seen each other during the past few months, he hadn't been able to tell. Since Jason had kept mum about it (something that filled me with a new appreciation for my big bro), Sam found out through the supe vine after what happened the night before. Word traveled fast in the supe world.

"I guess I owe you a visit," I said, unwilling to talk about it in front of Bruce. Bruce only knew because he had to, in case there was an emergency during the day. He didn't know how I'd become pregnant, and probably didn't care.

"I expect one soon, miss. How are you feeling?" Sam asked in a kinder tone.

"Today I feel like crap. I guess I don't have to tell you what happened last night?" I asked him, suddenly feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders.

"No. Who's with you today?" he asked, sounding truly concerned. At least there was somebody in the "real" world who understood the kind of danger I was in. However, I didn't know how to answer. Diantha and Glad had gone on to New Orleans, and Bruce was going to leave as soon as he drove us to our house. Then what?

"You're thinking that question mighty hard. I'm assuming you have nobody watching you today?" Sam asked.

"No, not really," I confessed. "We hadn't gotten that far before we left Chicago." I was suddenly very concerned. "Let me call… shoot!" I went through my mental Rolodex, trying to figure out a good enough bodyguard for me. Just as I was scrambling, Claudine called me on the other line. I told Sam I'd call him later.

"Where are you?" Claudine asked me as soon as I answered.

"On my way home."

"Who's with you?"

"Bruce, but he has to leave as soon as he drops us off."

"I'm sending Claude," and with that, she hung up. Well! I wasn't one to stop her from sending my drop dead gorgeous cousin to me for protection. It felt naughty to think of him that way… he _was_ my cousin, but not that close that it would have been plain wrong. What I didn't want was another installment of the sex-ed class. I didn't think I could take much more today.

Then I wondered about the wisdom of having a fairy inside the house. I guessed we'd have to spend our time outdoors as much as possible. And that's how I found myself sipping peach tea and enjoying the sun in the backyard along with my cousin Claude. The best part? When he gave me his usual hug my morning sickness disappeared as if it had never been.

"How's business?" I asked. The cousins had been able to buy the club where they worked thanks to a major investment made by me. The money had come from the Queen's coffers for helping her find the bracelet that Hadley had taken. I figured Claudine had earned that money as much as I had, since she had killed somebody in my defense, and had searched for the bracelet as hard as I did.

"Business is booming, thank you. I'm still doing my thing, but Claudette is now the manager. I think it suits her. She's bossy to begin with," Claude said. I giggled. She _was_ bossy.

"Are you dating?" I asked him, curious. I knew he wasn't dating my friend Tara anymore, since she had taken up with our mutual friend from high school, JB duRone.

"Not really. Why? Are you offering?" he asked and shot me a devastating smile paired with a wink.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm kinda knocked up."

"That only means you have no inhibitions. There's no danger of you getting pregnant again, although, with me, you never know," he smirked, and I had no choice but to smile when he made his pecs do a sexy dance. Did I mention he was shirtless? He was working on his tan too.

"You're a charmer, but I'm happily married."

"And how is that hunk o'burning vamp? Are you keeping him happy? You don't want an unhappy guy," he warned.

"Claude! I'm not going to discuss my love life with you anymore. It's bad enough you can read it off my brain! Either way, everything was going great until the later part of last night, when some asshole decided I should be dead," I said, remembering the thoughts of the driver. Claude read me easily and made a worried face.

"We can't have that. Fae royalty do not become targets of crazed maniacs," he said reaching for his cell phone.

"What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry. This isn't the first time we save your ass. Besides, I love a good fight… or a good covert operation. Trust me, little girl, you've given me more thrills in these past few months than I've had in the past sixty years," he said as he texted something to somebody.

I always forgot how much older my cousins were. I found it odd because they behaved like the age they looked. They all looked to be close to thirty, but after talking to them a lot I had pieced together that they were more like two hundred years old. My own grandfather was closer to five hundred! Eternal people just seemed to belong to my world. Too bad I had ended up being the fragile one, with the sort of luck I courted.

"Claude?"

"Yes, Cousin?"

"Can you hear the baby? I don't get anything from her," I said, figuring maybe he would.

"Babies that young don't really think about much. Maybe you're getting it but don't interpret it correctly. Plus you're the mother, and the baby's mind has been developing slowly, sort of… wiggling its way into your brain," he said.

"I don't know what that means," I said, all sorts of confused.

"Your baby's mind won't drive you crazy like somebody else's thoughts might, because it is a part of you. That said, you might not be aware that some of your own thoughts are actually the baby's. The baby's mind is at such an early stage of development that there are no true thoughts, more like feelings."

"How do you know so much?" I asked, still confused, but understanding it a bit better.

"We're not your only cousins, Sookie. Claudette and Claudine haven't had children yet, but our other cousins have. Anyway, to answer your question, the baby's asleep right now. They do that a lot," he said and grinned.

Something about the way he spoke about "the baby" made my intuition tickle. "You know the sex, don't you?"

"Yes I do," he answered without missing a beat, and then frowned. "Now, Sookie, I know you want to know, but I also know you enough that you want Eric to find out at the same time. Tell me I'm wrong."

I shook my head. "You're right. It's only one more week and we'll find out. I can wait."

Claude's phone buzzed. He'd gotten a text message, and when he read it he started to look downright happy, ecstatic even. His grin rivaled the Cheshire cat's, and he wiggled in his chair in excitement. He immediately started texting back.

"Care to fill me in?" I asked peeved. How dare he not tell me about the super secret plans to keep me safe?

"Did anybody ever tell you how incredibly wealthy our great-grandfather is? We're about to make the Fellowship's life a living hell…" he said, typing a text message so fast that his fingers became a blur.

"How?"

"Everything that can go wrong, will. They will have the worst case of Murphy's Law on record: their insurance will lapse, their buildings will flood, their stocks will tank, their main guy's visits to various _vampire _hookers will be discovered, as will their second's addiction to V. The vampires are hesitant to do anything against the Fellowship because they're trying to be good citizens and earn rights… but we don't have that problem. Nobody knows we exist," Claude finished his texting with a flourish and hit send. "I copied Eric's number, the one Claudine gave us."

"That's just his regular number," I said, waving my hand. Eric only had one cell phone number; he just didn't give it away often.

Claude stayed with me until sunset, and then made sure I'd locked every door before he left. I had to run because there would be three vampires waking up in our garage who did not need to be smelling fairy on me. It didn't matter. The smell of fairy had lingered a little bit inside the house, so when I came out of the bathroom I found Eric naked on our bed, giving me an exceedingly becoming come-hither look.

Without a word I let my towel drop to the floor and walked to him. He sat up to greet me. Mr. Happy was greeting me too. He reached for my hips, and after kissing our baby, he started running his hands over my body in a hungry way. His tongue made a slow path from my navel, up over my ribcage, until he buried his whole face under my breast. They had become so much bigger, and he loved the extra weight of them on his face.

"How should I take you, my darling? Should I ravage your body from behind?" he nipped at my breast and made me gasp. "Should I lay you down and make sweet love to you?" He ran his tongue in a circle over my nipple and that sweet feeling of desire started making its way down between my legs. "Should I have you ride me?" A growl escaped from his chest, and I knew which one of the three positions he wanted most. I pushed him onto the bed, and he moved back, putting his hands behind his head.

I crawled beside him and swung my leg high on his stomach, nowhere close to his quivering gracious plenty. He moved one hand to touch me more intimately, his thumb knowing exactly where and how to touch. I came down to kiss his mouth, making it sloppy by running my tongue over his lips. He never closed his eyes, but I had to close mine whenever a sweet thrill ran through my body. Whenever I looked into the wild desire in his eyes, my own desire built upon itself, until I couldn't stand being away from him any longer.

My body found his easily. I reached behind me to guide him, to take him inside me and have my fill of him. I descended slowly, saying what sounded like "ahhh," like a relief. I moved on him at my own pace, staring into the black pool of his eyes, making him rumble and moan in pleasure. I got so hot that the sweat started trickling down by back, down my chest, between my breasts.

Eric sat up to lick the beads of sweat, finding more around my neck. I couldn't stand it anymore and began moving faster, panting, moaning. "Mmm, Eric, Eric, mmm…"

"Yeeesss…." He hissed. He leaned back, bracing himself with his arms at either side of him. I was in control again, my swollen nub rubbing against his pelvis and his own golden curls. "Tell me what you want," he commanded me in a growl.

"I want to come. I want you to bite," I said breathless without taking my eyes away from him.

"Beg," he said.

"Please, Eric, please," I thought I might cry.

"Bite me too," he said, getting close once again and giving me his shoulder.

I bit him hard, as hard as I could, drawing blood and a feral groan from Eric. I began sucking and he took over the rhythm of our coupling, seeking release. He grunted with the effort until he couldn't hold himself back and sunk his fangs into my neck. I clamped my lips over the wound I'd made on his shoulder as wave after wave of pleasure crashed and took me out to sea.

Eric's thoughts transferred. He loved the smell of fairy inside the house, the smell of the sun on me, the way I was always so tight and how I made him come. They weren't the most coherent thoughts he'd ever had. He had well and truly come undone during his orgasm.

I collapsed against him before he collapsed on the bed. The position soon became uncomfortable with a baby in between us. I moved to his side, with my right arm and right leg draped over him. It finally dawned on me that I'd taken more blood from him during that exchange than the times I'd taken it to feel better from morning sickness.

"I read the message from Claude, so I suppose that is who was here today," Eric said, running his fingers lazily over my thigh.

"Yeah… hope you're not mad. Claudine was working, but Claude wasn't due at the club until tonight. He read my thoughts about the driver, what the driver had been thinking before…"

"Wait," he interrupted. "You heard him?"

"I did. I thought my fear was what made you lift us off the ground, because I sure didn't feel yours until later," I said shaking my head into his shoulder. What a mess!

"I don't know what made me do that, but your theory is as good as any. I wasn't paying attention and didn't realize the car had jumped the curb. We definitely need someone to watch over you during the day," he said, sort of putting my fears to rest about having Claude watch me.

We were silent for a long time, until the baby kicked and reminded me that I better feed her. I was hungry. Eric felt the kick on his side and chuckled.

"My little darling has woken up," he murmured and planted a kiss on my hair.

"So now do you accept that she's a girl?"

"Maybe," he said then added, "maybe not."

"You're so stubborn," I said looking up at him.

"I learned from the best," he said and tweaked my nose.

We took a shower together, our soapy bodies sliding around each other. I laughed because taking showers together seemed to be one of our favorite activities, other than making love.

Later, during dinner I told Eric about Amelia wanting to rent our condo, and he said it was fine.

"I'd rather you have friends that are available during the day, and Amelia would be closer than Claudine to help you, should you need help," was his reasoning.

It made me feel wholly inadequate to be a mother. I didn't have any friends. Who would my baby play with? I didn't know anybody who had little kids. I felt very lonely, very suddenly, and the waterworks started.

"Oh, my Sookie… What made you cry?" Eric asked which made me feel even worse. How did he put up with me like this? He needed a stronger woman by his side.

Since he didn't get an answer to his question, he simply turned the bar stool I was sitting on to face him. He put both hands on my cheeks and made me look at him. "I don't like to see you cry. I fell in love with your smile, Sookie Northman," he said in a deep soothing voice, and proceeded to kiss my tears away. When he pulled away he held my gaze again. "Whatever it is, we will solve it together. I love you."

"I love you too," I said trying to contain the tears that threatened to spill again.

"Good. I was beginning to think that I was the one who had brought on all this sadness," he said and smiled a tiny smile.

His phone buzzed on the counter. He reached for it and mouthed "the Queen" before answering it. I didn't catch much of the conversation because all Eric did was agree with the caller. Agree with the Queen, rather. Whatever she said made Eric happy.

"What?" I asked when he hung up.

"How would you like to spend some time with the demon sisters?" Eric asked.

I frowned in confusion. "They're very nice and I like them very much, but I don't want to go to New Orleans."

"No need for you to travel. Gladiola and Diantha are coming here. They're your new bodyguards. I didn't think that Mr. C. would easily part with them, but the Queen found him a suitable replacement. I think this is better than a Britlingen, unless you'd rather have the Britlingen," he added, but he knew that if I had a choice (which I did) I would choose Diantha and Glad.

"Maybe we should summon the Britlingen when I'm closer to my due date, but I would rather have the girls as my bodyguards," I said with utter conviction. My night was starting to look up.

My night became complete as we watched the news at eleven. I had curled up on the couch with my head on Eric's lap, enjoying his gentle touch on my hair, when the news anchor announced that the local chapter of the Fellowship of the Sun had suffered a major blow during a thunderstorm, which weren't unusual this time of year. Their new building in Minden had been destroyed by the forceful winds. They attributed the sudden collapse to shoddy workmanship when the structure was erected.

"In other news," the news guy continued, "the Chicago chapter is being investigated for some shady dealings and questions regarding their status as a tax exempt organization. It is believed the whole organization will soon be under investigation by the IRS."

A slow smile had started to form on my face. The damage was subtle, but it was there. Hit them where it hurts; make them lose the respect of their followers. I was sure the worse news would surface soon. My phone buzzed on the coffee table and Eric did me the favor of getting it for me.

It was a text message. There were only two words, and they were from Claudine: _You like?_

I sent her a message back with two words of my own: _I love._

**TBC**


	56. Unusual

**A/N: **Wow! What a week it's been! It's been one of those weeks that I wish I could just put in a shoebox, bury in my garden, and let it fertilize my flowers. It has certainly been full of that which fertilizes gardens, that's for sure.

Guess what we're doing in this chapter…. Does anybody want to know the sex of that beautiful bun in the oven?

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**Chapter 56 – Unusual**

The doorbell to the house rang. It was the first time I'd ever hear the doorbell ring inside the house in Shreveport. It was a really deep "ding-dong." I was expecting Glad and Diantha, so I made my way to the door briskly. One look through the peephole confirmed that my bodyguards had arrived, and that they were holding someone hostage. I yanked the door open to find Glad had Bruce in a choke hold. He was starting to turn blue.

"Hesays heworks forya," Diantha said chewing gum.

"He does, he does!" I said quickly before he turned purple. Glad let Bruce go and he almost collapsed. If we didn't pay him so well, I was sure he would have quit. "Sorry, Bruce. These are Gladiola and Diantha, my new bodyguards."

Bruce was bent over, both hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. He waved a hand up and resumed his task. We all waited until he recovered. "Eric asked me to bring this and to give these to you in your hand," he said, still breathing hard but looking pink, at least. Pink trumped blue... He dropped a set of car keys in my hand.

I looked up, wondering why I had a set of car keys. In trying to save Bruce I hadn't noticed the very large truck he'd parked in the driveway in front of the garage. "What is that Bruce?"

"It's a truck, Miss Sookie," he said. And _that's_ why I didn't like him. Rude bastard.

"I know that Bruce. Why do I have a truck parked in my driveway?" I said, emphasizing the fact that this was my house in case he had forgotten.

"I don't know. Eric didn't say. All he said was to go pick up the truck at the dealer and bring it here, and to hand you the keys in your hand," he repeated.

I'd have to talk to Eric. I wondered if he was getting rid of the Corvette, though he hadn't said anything. I shrugged. Eric did that all the time. Sometimes he liked to buy things out of the blue, just because he liked them. It had never been something as expensive as a giant luxury truck… but I wasn't going to be mad if he felt the need for a new car. At least the truck was practical.

"He did it for the baby," I murmured in sudden understanding. I turned around staring at the keys in my hands, with Glad and Diantha close at my heels.

Of course he did it for the baby. He barely fit in my car, and a baby car seat wouldn't fit in the Corvette, so he got something he could drive his baby around. And the waterworks started. I spared a thought to the fact that one of the sisters closed the front door on Bruce's face, which was a small comfort.

"'S okay, Sookie. We're herenow. We'lltakecare ovya," Diantha said, smoothing my hair.

"Thank you," I said between sniffles. God! I was turning into such a sap. "Let me show you your rooms."

Diantha and Glad followed me upstairs where I'd set up two of the bedrooms as guest rooms. They had been retrofitted for vampires, but Eric had helped me take the shutters off the windows. The bedrooms had been boring, and beige. So I'd bought new bed linens in bright colors. Hopefully the girls would enjoy their stay, however long that may be.

They got settled, we had lunch, and then we had to pile in my car to go to the grocery store. I'd nearly forgotten the girls ate like teenage boys. I was actually looking forward to having them in the house. It would give me something to do. There's only so much cleaning one can do to a house. I usually only cooked for myself, but I'd always liked to cook for others. Plus it would give me an excuse to bake Sookie's cookies. Eric would get a kick out of that.

At sunset I waited impatiently for Eric to wake up. We had our twenty-week appointment with Doctor Ein, and tonight was the night we'd find out the sex of our baby. I was dressed and ready and hopping on the bed trying to wake up Eric, which of course was completely useless. When he did wake up, he smiled at me in a sleepy way.

"Are you excited about something, dear one?" he asked, knowing exactly why I was excited.

"Come on! Get dressed! We gotta go!" I said, making the bed jump with my nervous hopping.

"I have to take a shower," he said, getting up way too slow. "Would you like to join me?" he asked. He was naked from the night before, and I had a moment of longing before I reminded myself that we didn't have time.

"I would love to, but you need to get ready vampire fast. We need to go and…" I stopped talking when he reached me vampire fast, caught me in a tight hug and made me melt against him.

"Are Gladiola and Diantha here?" he asked. I could hear his voice rumble inside his chest. I nodded, making sure to rub my cheek against his soft skin. "And did Bruce deliver my new car?"

"Yeah, about that…" I began.

"Do you like it?"

"It's nice, but…"

"It's like the one Pam rented for me when I wrecked our cars. Do you remember?" he knotted his fingers into my hair.

"Yes, I remember, but…"

"Since Gladiola and Diantha will be with us from now on, I knew we would need a larger car, and later I'll be able to bring you and our baby home in something other than the dangerous Corvette," he explained. I sighed. He was making sense about spending over fifty thousand dollars on a truck.

"It's very nice," I said finally and sincerely. I'm sure we would all be very comfortable in it, and our baby would be safe in it, and Eric seemed proud of his purchase of it. I let it go. Eric was always very mindful of his priorities.

On our way to the doctor's office, Diantha and Glad started listing the reasons they knew I would have one or the other. Diantha argued I would have a boy because I was looking prettier and prettier (to which I blushed), and boys had a tendency to do that to their mothers. Glad said I was going to have a girl because my hormones were all over the place and made me cry all the time. Eric had a permanent smile plastered on his face, and was holding my hand the whole ride.

Doctor Ein whisked us to the examining room, while Diantha and Glad waited for us up front. She made me stand on a scale, took my temperature and blood pressure and then made me lie down on the exam bed.

"How are you feeling, Sookie?" the doctor asked. She lifted my shirt and measured my belly from the top of my ribs to the bottom of my pelvis. "I see you are finally gaining weight. I'm happy about that."

"It's been a rough couple of weeks. Eric had to give me some blood to stop my nausea and vomiting," I confessed. She knew about the earlier times during my first trimester, but she didn't know that I was still dealing with horrible morning sickness.

"It happens to some, unfortunately. I guess I have no way of telling if there are side effects to the baby, but from what we've seen everything is progressing normally." Doctor Ein looked at Eric. "Just to be safe only give her your blood when she's feeling sick. I know that people who are addicted to V can suffer from side effects, but I can see it's different when the blood comes from the source."

"Do you think Sookie is addicted to my blood?" Eric asked concerned. I had to admit the possibility had run through my mind before.

Doctor Ein turned to look at me. "Before you became pregnant, did you feel any symptoms of withdrawal, like nausea or headaches, whenever you didn't take Eric's blood?"

I shook my head. "I could go weeks without taking his blood. We would only exchange…" I was quiet again. I wasn't sure if I could explain to the doctor how we exchanged blood. Eric finished the sentence for me. He wasn't ever ashamed or bashful in the least.

"Sookie would only take my blood during a lovers' exchange when we had sex. Now she needs it more often to keep her nausea at bay so she can eat," he explained.

"Yes," the doctor said thoughtful. "It seems to me that your body is very sensitive to the extra hormones from the pregnancy and they're making you sick. Like I said, it happens to some women and they have morning sickness throughout the whole forty weeks. If Eric didn't give you his blood, I would have you on anti-nausea medication. I would rather not medicate you, however, so Eric's blood it is."

Finally the moment we'd been waiting for was at hand. We all made our way to the sonogram room where we had first seen our baby inside my belly. I assumed the position, lifted my shirt and pushed my pants down to my lower pelvis. Doctor Ein tucked a clean towel in the elastic of my leggings and smeared my belly with the warm jelly-like lotion she used so she could move the device smoothly over my skin. After about a minute she zoomed in on the top of the baby's head, measuring to make sure everything was okay. When she moved the joystick-thingy she zoomed in on a profile of the baby's face.

"Look at those hands, how close they are to the face," she said with a smile and froze the picture. "I'm going to poke around a little to make the baby turn," Doctor Ein said, moving the device this way and that. She took some more measurements while she was at it. "Come on, darling, open your legs," she whispered as she poked the top of my belly, making me and the baby shake. "Got it!" she announced and froze the picture. With a quick movement of her fingers over a keyboard she circled the area between the baby's legs. "You got yourselves a girl."

And the waterworks started. Not mine this time. Eric buried his face against my shoulder, holding his handkerchief to his eyes. "You were right," he whispered. "A beautiful girl like you."

I almost felt smug, but I didn't feel like rubbing it in. It wasn't often that my darling vampire became overwhelmed, but I was sure that he'd become overwhelmed more times during the past eight months that we'd known each other than in the thousand years before that. So I hugged him as best I could, even though I had to stay still while the doctor checked other important things, like the placenta's blood flow, and so on. I wasn't paying attention. I figured if there was something wrong the doctor would tell us. In the meantime I had to tend to my husband.

Doctor Ein printed the pictures she had taken of the sonogram, including the one of the absence of a penis (it was cute, we could see a tiny butt), and left us while I cleaned up the sticky lotion from my belly and set my clothes back to rights. Eric helped me sit up on the exam bed, staring at me in that way he had. His devotion was a living being inside him, pulsating and radiating from him to me. It was as if he thought me some kind of deity.

Without a word he took my face in his hands and kissed me fervently. I hugged his waist and pressed him close, enjoying this moment with him, our baby girl pressed between us. She kicked and he felt it and smiled into my lips.

"I guess I better take you both out to dinner, to celebrate?" he asked, pulling away to rub his hand over the spot where I'd gotten kicked.

I shook my head. "Pam is waiting for us, and she was dying to know. We have to go straight to Fangtasia. We'll grab something to eat on the way."

He nodded reluctantly and we joined our doctor in her office. "Everything was perfect, and your girl is very healthy. I got the results here from the blood tests, Sookie, and you are very healthy as well. Do you have any questions for me?" she asked.

"Should I sign up for Lamaze classes?" I asked. I was not entirely sure they would help.

"I don't know, Sookie. It's up to you and Eric. I can tell you that in my many years delivering babies the people who use Lamaze have mixed results. Some make great use of the techniques; others forget everything during the pain of labor. However, I would like for you to look into breastfeeding classes. Those fill up fast and they're very instructive and much more important in the long run, in my view," Doctor Ein said. After a few more questions, mostly from Eric, and mostly about sex, we joined Glad and Diantha, who were almost jumping in anticipation.

"It's a girl!" I announced, and they were both very happy for me. Poor Eric. Surrounded by girls. Although, he didn't seem to be put out in any way and was instead smiling ear to ear.

We held hands the whole way to Fangtasia, making a quick stop at Wendy's for some burgers and Frosties. Thank goodness Eric wasn't a snob about us eating in the new truck. He'd have Bruce clean it anyway.

Like bees to honey I was met by several vampires who knew exactly what today's visit to the doctor had been about. Thalia, Indira, Maxwell, and Pam of course, all waited impatiently as I took out the sonogram pictures from my purse. I handed the one telltale picture to Pam and she stared at it for a couple of seconds, which was about one and a half seconds too long for a vampire.

A slow smile appeared on her lips as she looked up. "It's a girl," she announced, having earned the right to do just that. I nodded furiously and she grabbed me in a tight hug. I heard Maxwell slapping Eric on the shoulder and saying his congratulations. Indira and Thalia waited patiently for Pam to let me go. Indira murmured a prayer as she hugged me, and Thalia put her hands on my cheeks before pretending to spit at either side of me. Silly Greeks. Even after two thousand years on this Earth, Thalia still believed in the evil eye. I could use all the help I could get, so pretend spit didn't faze me too much anymore. The first time she'd done it Pam had to explain it all to me. She had laughed. A lot.

It was Eric's turn at the stage for a few hours, though the permanent smile plastered on his face would not make him look all that scary to the patrons. I stayed in his office with Glad and Diantha helping with fiefdom correspondence, something I did often. I didn't mind being Eric's secretary since it freed up some of his time… to spend it with me. Hey! I'm not an idiot.

I found a request to move into Shreveport from a whole nest that hailed from Las Vegas, Nevada. I knew Eric disliked nests, so I wrote a letter to that effect to wait for Eric's signature. I'd done these before. In essence it granted permission to move in only to individual members who would then need to procure individual dwellings. Nests tended to breed nasty vampires, or so Eric had said to me, although Stan Davis had lived in a nest and he, Farrell, and Isabel had always seemed pretty decent to me. Maybe they were the exception.

The phone rang in Eric's office, which was unusual for the time of night. Usually the only people who called that phone line did so during the day for business.

"Fangtasia, the bar with a bite," I answered, doing my best Pam impression.

"Sookie? Where is Eric?" the voice on the other line asked. It sounded like Andre.

"Andre?" I asked a little concerned. He'd sounded nervous when he asked about Eric.

"Yes, where's Eric?"

"He's out in the bar area. What's wrong?"

"He didn't answer his cell phone."

"It might be in his other clothes. I'll go get him for you," I said and put him on hold. Diantha was already out the door fetching Eric. He'd changed in his office to put something more elegant while he was on stage, and I was sure he'd left his cell phone in his jeans. Finding out the sex of your baby will do that to you, I supposed, because Eric wasn't forgetful.

Eric walked in vampire fast, a blur stirring the air into a wind, and took the phone. "I am here," he said and listened intently. He always looked so handsome when he was serious. I couldn't help the sudden wish to be alone with him for several minutes. He didn't cut his gaze to me as he would have after feeling my lust, so I knew something was very wrong. He looked at me only when he felt my fear. My fear didn't subside though, because Eric's feelings had gone into battle mode. I wondered what new catastrophe was about to befall us now and almost felt like groaning.

Diantha and Glad seemed to have gotten text messages in tandem and were staring at their cell phones at the same time that mine buzzed on the desk. Mine was a message from Claudine, asking me where I was. I answered and told her who I was with because I knew she would have asked. She called me the next minute.

"Listen, the FBI issued a warning that the Fellowship delivered threats of the homegrown terrorist variety to certain vampire establishments, and especially to the vampire monarchs. Please tell me that Eric is about to take you home," she begged.

I looked up at Eric and he was nodding, obviously listening to both my conversation and whatever Andre was saying. Diantha came behind the desk and held out her hand to me while Eric made motions pointing at the door. I grabbed my purse and took Diantha's hand. Glad was already ushering us out the door.

"Yastay here," Glad said and ran out the employee entrance. A minute later she'd brought the truck around and Eric had joined us.

"Go home, wait for me there. I'll have Pam drop me off," he said and kissed my forehead, sort of shoving me forward. I didn't get a chance to argue because he picked me up, strapped me in the truck, and we were off. Glad drove fast out of Fangtasia, but slowed down once we were a good distance away.

I didn't say anything the whole ride home, and once there I called Claudine to let her know. Diantha and Glad turned on the TV to watch the news in the den and I paced listening to Claudine. She explained in depth what was happening with the Fellowship of the Sun.

"The radical arm of the Fellowship decided that what's been happening to them was the vampires' fault. The thing is that the FBI did have their sights on them, ever since you discovered what they had planned for the summit. Now they're retaliating, or planning to, so the FBI issued a warning to the vampire kings and queens to be on alert."

"How did you hear about it?" I asked her, sort of watching the news, but sort of not.

"We have our ways," she answered. Translation: they had fairies working in the FBI, which would make sense. "Until they can figure out how to stop them, you'll have to stay away from any place owned by a vampire."

We hung up and I started pacing the living room and biting my nails. The house phone rang, which was highly unusual. This whole day had been filled with the strange sounds of things that had never rung before. I got the handset we kept in the den.

"Hello?" I answered, having failed to look at the caller ID in my haste to answer.

"Ms. Northman?" a man's voice asked.

"Yes, that's me," I said waiting for the worse, because who could be calling this number at this hour with good news?

"This is Assistant Chief Dice of the Shreveport Fire Department. I have been trying to reach Mr. Northman to let him know we have responded to a call at the Fangtasia bar. The blaze is under control at this time and there are no casualties or fatalities…"

I knew the man continued talking but all I could think of was that there were no casualties or fatalities because when vampires burned, they burned without leaving a trace. And the room disappeared.

**TBC**

**A/N: I LOVE CLIFFHANGERS! And Vikings. My license plate is on order. :-D**

**P.S.: Assistant Chief Dice really is one of the assistant chiefs of the Shreveport Fire Department. I looked it up. I almost made up a name, but I figured that would be disrespectful to the actual person who performs the job.**


	57. A Theory

**A/N: **Now, now… Why are y'all hatin' on my cliffhangers? Y'all know you love them, admit it.

* * *

**Chapter 57 – A Theory**

"Sookie?" I heard my name and felt a hug and woke up almost immediately with a sense of calm.

"Claudine?" I asked, hugging her back. What was she doing in my house?

"Thank God you're okay! I was so worried. Something about your fainting brought me here," she said, still hugging me tight.

I was awake. I had passed out. "Somebody set fire to Fangtasia and the fire department called here trying to find Eric," I pulled away from Claudine to look into her eyes. "They said they didn't find any casualties or fatalities inside Fangtasia," I said and could feel my heart doubling its pace. My cousin's proximity was keeping me from having an all out panic attack.

Claudine shushed me. "Calm down. Find your bonded. Concentrate," she said in a soothing voice. I nodded, took deep breaths and concentrated. My shock about Fangtasia had made me forget to search for Eric's feelings, to make sure he was okay.

"He's angry," I said, barely hearing my own voice. If Eric was angry he was fine.

"Pamcalled aminuteago. They apprehended thepeoplewho setdafire," Diantha said to me or Claudine, I wasn't sure.

"See? Eric is fine, Pam is fine. Fintan is on his way with a couple of reinforcements so that your family doesn't have to get involved and can start rebuilding," Claudine said. She spoke of my family and I realized she was talking about Eric and Pam, and everybody else who I cared about from Fangtasia.

"Reinforcements?" I asked, letting her help me get up from the floor. In all honesty she picked up my heavy butt with minimal effort from me. She always amazed me with her strength. I don't know why Pam's amazing strength never surprised me, but Claudine's always did.

"Let's just say it's something you don't have to worry about right now. I'm sure Eric will fill you in later." She sighed, seeing I was feeling anxious and upset, the mad kind of upset. "We have these fairies that specialize in getting information, Neave and Lochlan. They're quite ruthless, but they get the job done. Your grandfather is getting fed up with all the attempts on your life and on your loved ones' lives, so he got them to help. I believe he wishes to dismantle the Fellowship in a more direct way. That's why we can't let Eric and Pam finish what they started. We don't want them involved in anything that they can get in trouble for later," Claudine explained.

Gladiola brought me a glass of water and sat next to me on the couch. "Someone, somewhereknowsya, and daQueengotda warning. She's lookingintoit."

"We're looking into it too," Claudine nodded and frowned worriedly. "It's like someone is using the Fellowship for something else, to undermine the Queen of Louisiana, or something. If someone hurts you, then the Queen will be in trouble from the other kingdoms for not taking care of you." Claudine knew the whole story of what had happened in Chicago and how all those vampires had grown reverent of little ol' me. "I can only think that the Fellowship's ineptitude is their own, since they haven't succeeded in harming you, but the information that they're getting is coming directly from a vampire," she said with conviction, and still just as worried.

My hands trembled as I held onto the glass of water, and my mouth went dry while I mulled over Claudine's theory. "So this may not have anything at all to do with me?" I asked, trying to understand.

"It may not," Claudine said. "You might just be a means to mess with the Queen. We're exploring every option. That is only one theory. The Prince is looking into it now, while Fintan does his thing." She put her hand on my baby bump, and something she did tickled my brain. I wondered if it was the baby's brain. "The baby is doing well. I guess your sudden panic brought me here, nothing else. I'm glad you're okay, though. I rather appear and find nothing truly wrong than not appear when you need me."

I shrugged and my cell phone rang. I reached for it. It was Pam's phone. Thank God! "Pam!"

"No, it is me," a lower voice than Pam's said.

I breathed an even longer sigh of relief. "Eric! Are you all okay? Is everybody safe?"

"Yes, my love. What happened, how are you?"

"The assistant chief of the Shreveport Fire Department called here looking for you and I had a scare. Claudine popped by. She's here now. Should she leave?" I asked, looking at Claudine apologetically. She made a "don't sweat it" kind of face and took my hand in hers to calm me down.

"We will be there in ten minutes. Your grandfather and two other fairies have taken over the interrogation of the people we found that set fire to Fangtasia. We got everybody out soon after you left. All the patrons and my people are safe."

Eric and I said our goodbyes and hung up. I was feeling immensely better. Figures we couldn't get any sort of good news without something bad happening too. I had single-handedly won Queen Sophie-Anne's trial for her, and earned the respect and admiration of many vampires, only to have my life threatened that same night. Then we have a wonderful night finding out the sex of our little girl and celebrating that, only to have our main business attacked and burned.

"Thank God everyone is alright," I said. The building was easily replaced. The people were not.

Claudine popped out after promising to tell me everything she found from the interrogation. Before she left I'd wondered out loud again what those fairies did that was their specialization, and again Claudine deferred to whatever Eric would tell me about them. That told me that whatever it was, it must have been bad. The only thing I could come up with was that they would torture the people they needed to interrogate. Since they could read minds, it would be easy to get the truth out without necessarily "making them talk." That was kind of gross. I shivered.

As promised, Eric appeared ten minutes after he called. He came to me immediately, not even giving me a chance to stand up and greet him properly. He scooped me up from the couch and took me upstairs to our bedroom. Once inside it he didn't set me down, just hugged me tight, legs and all. I hugged him too. He was dirty with soot and smelled of smoke, but he was whole.

"I love you," I murmured into his neck, caressing his hair. His feelings were in turmoil, but they started settling the longer he held me. Finally he set my feet on the floor and bent to me to kiss me. It was soft, not what I'd been expecting. I guessed the scare had more sway in his current actions than the smell of fairy.

I broke the kiss and pulled him to the bathroom. I ran the bathtub and took off his dingy clothes. I hadn't been planning on joining him. My plan had been to bathe him only… but once he settled his body inside the tub he looked at me with pleading eyes and I took off my clothes and got in the bathtub too, sitting astride his legs.

I still bathed him, washing his hair and his face off soot, soaping his shoulders and chest, kissing him every so often, just happy and relieved that he was safe and in front of me. He never took his eyes off me, or his hands, sometimes holding onto my waist, sometimes caressing my face with wet hands, or soaping up our baby lovingly. It had been a very eventful night for him.

"I love you, Sookie," he said finally, the first words out of his mouth since he'd gotten home. I kissed him softly, needing the closeness. I was sure he needed it too. I felt his length stir next to the inside of my leg. I reached between us and guided it inside me, letting out a low moan of pleasure, never taking my eyes off my husband.

Eric's hands started their roaming anew, beginning with my bottom, slowly kneading it at the same time that he moved me over him. My whole body trembled with a small thrill as he started moving his hands forward, holding on to the tops of my thighs, one lone thumb finding my pleasure center and rubbing lightly around it. I moaned again. I ran my hands from his shoulders down to his chest, caressing it before taking his nipples between my fingers, twisting and pulling and making him growl. I kissed him again, eating his growl and enjoying every rumble afterwards.

I picked up the pace of our lovemaking and pulled away from our kiss. Eric moved his hands to my sensitive breasts, holding them pressed together so he could run the tip of his tongue back and forth over my nipples. I groaned loudly at the new sensation, which I was feeling much further down than on my chest. My hips bucked against him at the same time that he thrust up into me.

"We have to do that again," I said, moving my hands to his shoulders for leverage, enjoying the feel of moving muscle under my fingers. Eric smiled seductively and I bucked as he thrust. We repeated the motion over and over. Every time we met he growled and I moaned my pleasure, until the rhythm of sound and motion pushed me over the edge and into one long howl of pleasure. As I came Eric sank his fangs into my breast, coming at the same time as he tasted my blood. He held me tight and steady, thrusting the last few times punctuating each thrust with a grunt at my chest.

I collapsed against him, hugging his shoulders and pressing my lips over and over on his neck. Eric pricked his thumb to finish closing the wounds at my breast; a tiny bit of comingled blood made it into the water in a lazy ribbon of red. He ran his hands soothingly over my back, and even though things were not completely right with the world, at least we had each other and we had this moment. We also had our baby girl sleeping soundly between us. I don't know how I knew that she was sleeping, but I knew it without question. Maybe it was part of what Claude had said: that her mind was part of me. Maybe that's how I knew she was a girl all along.

We made our way out of the bathtub slowly, me with a little help from Eric because my legs felt wobbly. We dried each other, kissing and caressing, taking our time before having to return to our life. I brushed my teeth as he dried his hair, then Eric put the lotion on my belly to avoid stretch marks. God only knew if it would work, but we had incorporated it into our nightly ritual. In other words, it was less for my vanity and more for our mutual comfort.

I felt peckish and knew there was a pint of ice cream with my name on it. Completely forgetting the fact that I'd just brushed my teeth, I made a bee line from our bedroom to the kitchen, and got out the Häagen-Dazs coffee ice cream. Eric followed me, heating up a True Blood and eyeing me curiously. By the time the microwave beeped, I was sitting on the counter with my legs wrapped around his waist, making out after I swallowed every spoonful of ice cream. He liked the taste of sweet coffee on my saliva. I'd never had so much fun eating ice cream.

When I finished all my ice cream he remained between my legs and sipped his True Blood. We finally had to speak about the events of the night. Real life was calling.

"What the Queen said was that the Fellowship contacted her headquarters with a threat against _your_ bar. She was calling the FBI at the same time that Andre was calling me. The fire started before we got everybody out, but we had already evacuated more than half the bar patrons. The rest went smoothly and we had no time to waste. We gave chase. The men that set fire to our place spilled gasoline on themselves. To say they were inept would be an understatement. They're not who we want. We want to find the person who is after you, and why. Fintan met up with us and brought Neave and Lochlan…"

"You know them?" I interrupted. From the way he said their names, the expression on his face, it seemed that he did.

"I know their reputation," he answered and his nostrils flared in disgust. "They are well-known interrogators and always get to the bottom of things. Not many creatures scare me, but they come close. I am happy that your family feels strongly enough to bring them, but by the same token I'd rather not have them in this realm. I hope they get to the bottom of things quickly and leave," Eric finished with a frown.

Wow! For something to scare him and for him to (sort of) admit it, those two fairies must have been seriously deranged. I shivered involuntarily.

Something tickled my brain and I felt a kick. I knew, beyond a doubt, that our baby was awake, probably thanks to the influx of sugar from the ice cream.

"She's up," I said in a quiet voice. That was the second time that I had noticed the things I could tell, or maybe the third. Now that I knew what I was looking for, I was almost positive that I would be able to tell apart her mind from mine. I was trying to distract myself with the excuse of the baby, but Eric redirected my thoughts.

"My love, our baby is important, but this is important too. Your life is being threatened, and therefore the life of our child. Will you please listen?" he asked, keeping his voice in check, but I knew he was annoyed.

I took a deep breath and nodded. He was right, after all. "I'm sorry."

He lifted my face with a gentle finger under my chin and gave me a quick kiss on the side of my mouth, just to let me know that there wasn't anything to forgive.

"As I was saying, Fintan met us along with Neave and Lochlan, and he told us of a couple of theories he and Prince Niall have been developing. One of them, the one I find that has the most merit, is that now that you are revered among so many, one slip by the Queen and many will rise against her. In other words, someone is using you and the Fellowship as pawns in order to weaken Sophie-Anne. This person or persons are telling the Fellowship where you are, what you did in Chicago to break up their plans, and is fueling their hate of you. Fintan is beside himself. He has been trying to look for the main culprit, but had been unable to pinpoint the source. Now that we have the ones that set fire to Fangtasia, perhaps he can backtrack his investigation into the different channels and find who is doing this. I explained it to Sophie-Anne, and she is gathering her supporters, namely the vampire regents present at the summit that know about you and hold you in high esteem. They will help," he said. I'd stared into his eyes the whole time he spoke, feeling nothing but confidence from him.

"I hope you're right," I mumbled, thinking that my life had taken an even stranger turn lately.

"I hope so too," he said and hugged me tight. "Now please promise not to leave the house unless it's absolutely necessary. Don't go to your usual places, and don't leave at your usual time. I'm sorry, but it's for your own safety."

"I understand," I said. Of course I did. I always understood. From the moment he had walked into my life bearing the bad news that my cousin had betrayed my secret to the most powerful species on Earth, I'd had to understand that I was at the mercy of those who would protect me. I shrugged. I was used to it by now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Where arewegoin'?" Diantha asked. She had stolen the keys from my hand in a move that was borderline vampire fast.

"We have to go check Fangtasia. I want to see it in the light of day. Besides there may be papers and things that I should retrieve…"

"Eric hadThalia takeda safetoher 'ouse," she interrupted me.

"'Strue, Sookie. Hewon'twantya togoto Fangtasia," Glad said to me standing at the door to the garage with her arms crossed over her chest, and a very close impression of Eric, actually.

I was dying to get out of the house. I'd woken up itching to do something, _anything!_ I wished we had a pool so I could burn the excess energy by at least swimming, since I wasn't allowed outside of our property.

"Can we go to the mall then? Maybe we can go all the way to Monroe. Nobody knows me there," I whined.

"That'stoofar," Glad shook her head.

"Can I visit my brother?" I asked. It was Saturday, he'd be home.

"No. Theymightbe watchinghis 'ouse," she pointed out.

The bottom dropped from my stomach. "All the more reason to go make sure he's okay," I said and moved towards Glad who put an arm up to stop me.

"Call him," she said, for once making herself understood perfectly.

I did call my brother, and he was just fine. He was getting ready to do something with his friend Hoyt Fortenberry. I didn't pay attention. Even if I'd gone to his house, he wouldn't have been there.

I huffed my disappointment, grabbed a book that I hadn't read yet, and went upstairs to our bedroom. I knew it was childish to behave that way, but I was really peeved and feeling irrational about staying cooped up in the house. I really didn't want to read, either.

Not too long after starting my horrible bout of morning sickness, Eric had installed a TV for me in our bedroom, for the times I didn't feel like getting out of bed. I grabbed the remote and watched TV, sitting on the bed next to Eric who was dead.

I bought a movie on Pay-Per-View, feeling guilty for spending the five bucks, but watched it anyway and tried my best to enjoy it. When it was over I decided it wouldn't do to spend the whole day sulking. The girls gave me wide berth when I went back downstairs, and I figured they might be about as bored as me, maybe more, and _they_ had behaved like grown-ups about it.

I started baking and making dinner, willing myself to enjoy the simple task. At the very least I could offer the girls some cookies to apologize for my earlier behavior. And by golly that was exactly what I did. When dinner and dessert were ready, I called them over, apologized, they forgave me (more like they laughed at me for wanting to escape _them_), and we all tucked in for dinner a few minutes before I felt Eric wake up for the night.

We were still eating when Eric found us. Hopefully no one would tell him how I'd behaved and all would be right with the world.

"We will leave as soon as you are done to go meet with the insurance adjuster," Eric said and kissed the top of my head.

So… it would be another one of those nights. I wondered how messed up he was going to be after seeing the damage to the building. I also wondered just how much damage there would be. Whatever I'd been thinking, it didn't prepare me for what I saw.

As soon as Eric pulled up to the front part of the building, my vision clouded with tears. Everything that Eric and Pam had built was gone. I was sure the building would have to be torn down. Neither of them owned the land, only the building that stood on it. The building that had stood on it was now a charred shell. Nothing more.

Eric immediately turned to me, his face was full of concern but for me. "This is nothing, dear one. This is just a thing. Nobody was hurt," he said, echoing my thoughts from the night before.

"I know," I said, because I did know. "But it's still sad. You worked so hard for so many years…" my voice trailed and I reached for the hanky that Eric was offering me.

"Sookie, dearest, how old am I again? Four years is nothing, a blink. Pam is here. Come, she wants to make sure you're alright too," he said and got out of the truck. He came around and got the door for me, but Pam pushed him aside and got in front of me.

"I see you are upset," she said in her usual stoic manner, but hugged me just the same.

"I'm so sorry, Pam," I said, starting to cry again. These waterworks were getting old.

"You didn't do anything, Sookie. Look at me," she ordered me. I looked up. Eric had moved away from our truck to go talk to a man dressed business casual who was looking at the building closely and taking notes. I looked at Pam and she had a fierce look in her eye that was unexpected as much as it was scary. "You are the best thing that has happened to Eric and by extension me, in forever. Our main concern has always been to keep you safe. If we ever fail to do that, our lives are forfeit. There will be no reason to continue. This is just a… hiccup. We don't even think you were the ultimate target. You were just a means to get to Sophie-Anne. Nevertheless, you cannot blame yourself for this, nor feel sorry for this, nor worry about this. You only have to worry about three things: this baby, that man, and yourself, not in that order." She had pointed at my belly, at Eric over her shoulder, and at my head as she spoke. "You have to remember that this is nothing compared to many other things that we've gone through in our lives. Right now we are wealthy and comfortable, but it wasn't always so. There have been times when we have lost everything, including the roof over our heads. There have been times when we've had to leave everything behind, like when we came to America. Losing a well-insured building is definitely not the worst thing that has happened to either of us. Now we get a chance to rebuild and we'll make you part of the process. You will have a say about how the next Fangtasia will be," she smiled, trying to bring me out of my funk.

Pam was making everything sound more and more appealing, as if whoever burned the building had done us a favor. I suppose it could be seen that way, since no patrons were injured, and none of Eric's people was hurt. My grandfather and great-grandfather were helping to get to the bottom of who was targeting me, to see if the most common theory was correct. Diantha and Gladiola were doing an excellent job as bodyguards (plus I felt safer having them nearby). So why did I feel like the shit hadn't hit the fan yet?

**TBC**

**A/N: I'm making no promises… I will be on vacation without a laptop next weekend and all week after that. I will try to upload a chapter so I can post it next weekend (using my tablet instead) like I usually do, BUT I may not have enough time to write it all out. So… I love you all, that's why I'm letting you know that it may happen.**


	58. Lullaby

**A/N: **I'm BAAAAaaack! ! ! Yay! It's so good to be home and writing. Thank y'all for being so patient. I really, truly mean it from the bottom of my heart. Here we go!

Soooo…. Um…. Since I was on vacay, I had a chance to read book 11, which actually was way more exciting after the first chapter than I expected it to be. I'm not super happy with the way things are turning out for Sookie, and you can all bet that when this story takes that turn it will not be the same... besides, I've already dealt with the main problem presented in book 11. I'm dangerously close to giving away some secrets and I won't do that to those of you who haven't read it. There is a spoiler here for the book, but if you haven't read it, you won't know what it is. I'm just making a preemptive strike that I had no way of foreseeing as I wrote the last chapter BEFORE reading the new book, and I think it's awesome that I can solve a little problem with the new material.

* * *

**Chapter 58 – Lullaby**

We looked like an army of women invading the Babies 'R Us. And none of us was the same or looked like we could be friends in any way. I had to ask Eric to please stay home and tend to business while I tended to this particular chore. Yes. I did look at it like a chore. Not an unpleasant one, granted. It was more like doing laundry than scrubbing a toilet, but a chore nevertheless. I had to scour the store and pick things for my baby girl that other people would buy for me. On that night I was accompanied by Pam (of course, Auntie Pam wouldn't have missed this for the world – she was the ring leader of Operation Baby Northman!), my bodyguards (of course, Glad and Diantha wouldn't leave my side if I'd paid them), and Amelia, who turned out to have way more guts than I'd given her credit for. She immediately got along with Pam, and she had already met the demon sisters. Claudette and Claudine had to stay home but agreed to look over my list and tell me what was missing… and make another trip if it was warranted, since they couldn't be in the same store as Pam.

So, here we were: a fairy princess, a vampire, two demons, and a human who happened to be a witch, armed with a doohickey thingy that scanned barcodes, a list of the most important items to register for, and five different tastes. We immediately got into a hissy fit over which pattern was cuter: the brown and pink circles, or the flowers. I pointed at the fact that my child would have a very involved father who would not appreciate flowers all that much. Amelia had issues with her own dad, so she sort of waved me off. Pam was with me, knowing Eric better than I did. We actually managed to complete the registry in less than two hours without killing each other, and the breathers all decided that we had earned some ice cream. Pam treated.

"So you know I'm planning your baby shower," Pam said with that sparkle in her eye I was beginning to be able to discern. She was otherwise her usual stoic self.

"Yes, I gathered as much," I said cautiously, not wanting to give away the fact that I already knew the date since Glad, Diantha, and Mr. C. had sort of told me without them meaning to.

"But it's a surprise, so don't go asking," she said, pointing a slender finger in a menacing way. Diantha and Glad were both looking down at their ice creams with lots of interest. I don't think Pam noticed.

"I won't ask, and I thank you so much for doing this for me, Pam," I said, waving her finger away. Like I was going to spoil a surprise… I love surprises!

At the end of our outing we drove Amelia home, and from what I gathered she ended up making a date with Pam. Who knew? Then we headed someplace out between Shreveport and Bon Temps to meet Eric. We got off the highway in the middle of nowhere, it seemed to me, and arrived at a large nondescript building where we found Eric talking to some guy. I quick read told me he was a realtor. So this was the building he and Pam had their sights on to use as the new Fangtasia. Hmmm…

I looked up and up… it seemed like it had more than one floor. As soon as I got out of Pam's car I was flanked by Glad and Diantha, but that didn't keep me from looking around. I could see the highway pretty well. Maybe we weren't in the middle of nowhere after all.

"The seller already has an offer for the building, but the other buyer is waiting on financing. You can make the same offer and tell them you're ready to close tomorrow and the building is yours," the realtor man said. I was glad to be there and check out the truthfulness of what he was telling Eric and Pam. He was on the up and up. Everything that went through his head came out of his mouth.

Eric shot me a quick look and I nodded briefly; our silent communication let him know to trust the man. Pam was brought into the negotiation, since she would be half owner of the new joint, just like she had been half owner of the former Fangtasia.

"Who is the other buyer?" Eric asked, knowing that the realtor wasn't obliged to answer that question, and most probably wouldn't.

The realtor was thinking of three vampires from Las Vegas that he had seen in the office with a colleague. The other realtor was helping them find a house as well to move into the area. I plucked names and faces from the realtor's mind. He certainly knew much more information than he was willing to part with. What was more, I remembered the names of the vampires as those who had asked to move into Eric's fiefdom and were awaiting permission. I would have to talk to Eric.

Before I could even make a motion, Eric was by my side, walking me away from the group with an arm draped over my shoulder. "What's the matter? What did you get?" He must have felt my general uneasiness at the information I'd gathered.

I told Eric everything in a very low voice that the human realtor would never hear, but I was sure Pam got everything. "He's a good guy, and he's afraid that he may lose his license if he tells you all he knows," I said of the man.

Eric nodded briefly then smiled at me. "Thank you, my love. As always, your ability amazes me. Come; let's buy ourselves a building for our new bar."

Eric and Pam made an offer for the building and signed papers right then and there. The realtor was going to put in the offer right away, but from the phone conversation he had with the selling agent, the building was as good as theirs.

Now Eric had to deal with the problem of the nest trying to move into the area prior to getting permission.

Pam went home in her car, and we went home with my bodyguards chatting animatedly in the language they preferred. I couldn't understand any of it, but it didn't bother me any. It was actually fascinating because some words required them to growl or snarl.

"Give me the names again," Eric said as we drove back to Shreveport.

"The one I remember the most was Victor Madden, and the other two I only remember their first names… Bruno and Corinna, I think?" I said, to a suddenly silent audience.

"Victor Madden?" asked one of the sisters, I think it was Glad.

"Are you sure, Sookie?" Eric asked. Obviously the name meant something to them.

"I'm positive because I was thinking he had the same last name as John Madden when I read the paperwork, and the name was listed first on everything," I said, remembering the football Hall of Famer and the signed petition that was now in ashes and part of the ruble that used to be Fangtasia.

"He is the second for the King of Nevada," Eric said in a grave voice. Without thinking about it too long he picked up his phone and called Pam and Andre to tell them both exactly what we had found out.

The wheels inside my head were moving, chugging slowly but surely with the information. So far we knew this: someone was giving the Fellowship information about me. That someone was most probably a vampire who wanted to destabilize Sophie-Anne's reign in Louisiana, and now Arkansas, which also belonged to her. Now the King of Nevada's second was trying to establish a nest in the northernmost part of Louisiana, but to what purpose? There was only one that I could see, and that was to be in the state, but as far away from the main government as possible… and as close to me as possible.

Fear ran through my spine and settled in my stomach making me shiver. I texted Claudine as fast as I could, still half listening to Eric speaking to Andre. He was saying something about needing to prepare for an attack directly on the Queen.

"Why would Victor use his own name to put in the petition? You would know who he was right away," I mused out loud as soon as Eric was off the phone.

"There is no reason for me to know who he is, and he was counting on that. He's a young one and cocky to boot. I wouldn't know who he is necessarily, except that Sophie-Anne made us memorize all the monarchs and their seconds using Bill's database, right before the summit, remember?" Eric asked me.

I did remember and told him so. He'd gone through all fifty monarchs and seconds in about half an hour. The only reason it had taken him so long, he said, was that he had also read up on their lineage. With his better retention of memories and all, he remembered everything he'd read.

"How do you know the name, Glad?" Eric asked looking into the rearview mirror.

"Sameasya," she answered. "DaQueenmade usreadthroughda database."

Sophie-Anne was nothing if not thorough. There was a reason she was Queen even though she wasn't the oldest vampire. She knew she could have been put to death for what happened to Peter Threadgill, so she had all her people memorize the names of possible new monarchs for the state. She cared enough to think ahead. At the very least that's what _I_ understood from her order.

Claudine wrote back letting me know that she had passed all the information to Fintan, who was already making headway into finding out who had given the order to make me a target.

Meanwhile, in the news that night, there was another scandal concerning the Fellowship. It was just as Claude had said: Steve Newlin's second in command was found indulging in V, a.k.a. vampire blood. One thing was for Eric to give me his blood willingly during an exchange; another thing was for a person to ingest vampire blood indirectly from the source. After the blood was drained from the owner, its attributes became tainted: the healing qualities could bring about psychosis; the beauty-enhancing qualities would make the user crave V like addicts need heroine. It was just a bizarre list of horrible side effects that varied from person to person and from blood donor to donor. Hallow was addicted to V and had wanted to drain Eric. V was also illegal, more so than regular street drugs. Users and dealers alike were treated as if they were dealing in human organs, which was as good an analogy as any, since it was a "live" substance, so to speak.

I couldn't contain the small chuckle that escaped me as I heard the broadcast. I didn't even know if the man accused of taking V really did the drug, or if the fairies had planted it. Whatever, right? It had been found in his possession and possession is nine tenths of the law. Period.

"What do you think of the building?" Eric asked me as we snuggled in bed and watched the news.

"I think it has a lot of potential. It's bigger, for sure, more like a club than a bar," I ventured a guess.

"Yes that it will be. We'll hire a permanent disc jockey and expand the product line. By the way, Pam wants us to do the calendar again. Would you be opposed?"

I thought about it. On the one hand he would be ogled at, my semi-naked Norse god of a husband. On the other hand the calendar made tons of money for everyone involved in it, and we had a little one on the way… who would see her father naked on a calendar… Something told me that Eric's view of nudity between himself and his offspring was different than mine, so perhaps that wouldn't be an issue. Had I ever seen my dad naked? I couldn't remember. I'd have to ask Jason.

"It's taking you a long time to answer, sweetheart. I can skip it…" Eric started.

"No, no," I shook my head to emphasize my point. "Do I have any say in how you dress or undress? Maybe less undress in the next one? Less butt exposure…" I tried my best to reach a compromise that wouldn't preclude him from the calendar.

"Alright, we can do that. We'll make the appointments and you can tell the photographer what should be covered," he agreed, thankfully understanding that I was trying to meet him halfway. I wouldn't have a problem with the calendar, but less skin, please.

I turned within his arms. "I'm thinking of our baby. When she grows up I don't want her finding naked pictures of you, you know?"

As I expected, he didn't see the problem with his child seeing him naked. I could read it in his expression, but he didn't say what I thought he would say. Instead he said, "There is nothing wrong with nudity, but perhaps something less sexy?"

"Yes! Yes, that," I said excited that he'd gotten my point. One small argument averted. Onto the next! "So… have you thought of any names for our girl?"

"Yes I have," he answered quickly, but then didn't say anything else.

"And…?" I prompted.

"And I don't know how you will feel about it Sookie. We used to name our children after our departed loved ones. We can name our baby Adele or Michelle, or Idony after my mother Iðunn," he said and shrugged, like he didn't care. But I knew he did.

"Idony sounds beautiful. Idony Northman," I tried it out. It had a certain ring to it.

"Do you like it? It means to renew nature. Iðunn is the wife of the god of poetry, Bragi, and she is also the keeper of the golden apples that are the food of the gods. It would also please my goddess to follow my custom," Eric said, trying to sell me on the name, but I kind of liked it. It was unusual (nowadays, anyway), and our baby was unusual, plus my name wasn't the most usual one either.

Eric pulled the sheets down to my legs and made my lay on my back. He put his ear to my belly, sneaking a hand under my nightgown to touch my bare skin. "How is my little darling? Do you like your name, Idony?"

I closed my eyes to concentrate. I wasn't expecting our baby to answer the question, but I wondered if she would react to Eric's voice. My brain did tickle. "Keep talking honey," I said very quietly. I knew Idony was awake. Idony, my baby. Our baby.

Eric continued, but instead of speaking he sang a sweet lullaby in his old language. I did feel something, a new awareness together with mine, riding on the same wave. I was keeping track of Eric's feelings (his devotion and love were skyrocketing), but also I could feel something else running alongside. It wasn't as if I was reading another mind. If I didn't pay attention, I would have confused that other awareness with my own mind. It was supremely interesting how I saw the baby's mind inside my own. My cousins had been right: her mind was part of me. At that moment, while her daddy was singing her a lullaby, she was awake and… I wouldn't call it enthralled. From all the books I'd read I knew the pathways inside her brain were still developing, so it was as if she was committing the sound to memory. I also knew it would be muffled because the sounds of my own body and the amniotic sac were protecting her from the outside world. Not that I was about to stop Eric from having his tender moment with his baby.

Idony fell asleep listening to her daddy, and I felt a renewed surge of love and adoration for my husband. We'd been through so much in such as short time. But still, here we were, making a family together like any regular loving couple. Who knew that someone such as him could redeem himself enough to earn his one true wish? I didn't know why he had chosen me among the many, but I knew I felt lucky to have something I never thought I could have: my one true love, the love of my life, and a baby. A family of my own.

Those who wanted to destroy my family deserved their own destruction. May God forgive me for my less than Christian thoughts.

**TBC**


	59. Raven's Den

**A/N: **Hi! How y'all doin'? I hope y'all are well. So, um… this week I read a book about a zombie that falls in love (I kid you not), and I actually liked it very much.

For those of you who are following "Fairies & Pies" (that would be the naughty bunch), part of the work was used on a website in a very ingenious way. PM me if you wanna know the name. I won't give it our willy nilly because it's not mine, and it comes with the same disclaimer as "Fairies."

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**Chapter 59 – Raven's Den**

We were doubled over with laughter when Eric found Glad, Diantha, Pam, Amelia, and me in the kitchen having dinner. Amelia had come with Pam, and had brought Chinese to share. Our conversation had invariably turned to sex, and then it had taken a mighty twisted turn because… well, because I was inexperienced insofar as I'd only had one partner, so everything they said made me blush and laugh shyly. I was ripe for the picking, and they were picking.

So after dinner (and as Eric looked on with thinly veiled amusement) we were about to open fortune cookies and Amelia had set the ground rules. "Take the cookie out of the wrapper. Open the cookie. Take the paper out without looking at it. Eat the whole cookie and swallow before reading your fortune. When you finish reading your fortune, add the phrase 'in bed' to the end of your fortune. Good luck, ladies!"

"It sounds like a contest to see who can be the most perverted," Pam roared with laughter right away, unable to partake of the fortune cookies but willing to stick around for the festivities. We all opened our first cookies (we each had two to our names) and began eating. Amelia pointed to me first and I shot a quick look to Eric who was standing leaning against the doorjamb between the kitchen and the den, his arms crossed over his chest and his face spread into a wide grin, waiting to see my fate.

I took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes… 'Soon life will become more interesting.' In bed." I was barely able to say the last sentence because I'd started laughing right away.

"So, Eric! Your new assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to make Sookie's life more interesting in bed!" Amelia said between chuckles.

"Easily done," he winked at me and shot me a devilish grin. I knew I'd be in trouble soon.

"Myturn!" Diantha called, opening her fortune. She read slower than she talked, thank goodness. " 'Your ability to accomplish tasks will follow with success,' in bed." She lost it too.

"Oh, I don't like mine. I don't like mine at all. 'The possibility of a career change is near,' in bed. Does that mean what I think it means?" Amelia asked. She wasn't laughing, but we were.

"I'll be your pimp," Pam said. She was holding a hanky to her eyes and laughing harder than I'd seen her laugh in a long while.

"Glad?" I asked, because it was her turn. She was shaking her head slowly. "What's wrong?"

"I'll sayit. But Idon'tknow… 'Being happy is not always being perfect,' in bed," Glad said. "Itakeissue with that. I'm _always_ perfect and I'm _always_ happy," she said, enunciating the last part just so. I think I snorted from laughing and trying not to. I didn't want to embarrass her.

We continued until all eight cookies were eaten. The most memorable fortune was "Every friend joins in your success," which had us imagining all of us in bed, all together.

"We'll invite Sookie's fairy cousins. I'm sure they'll be fun to have," Pam suggested, making a purring noise at the thought.

"All these women are going to kill me," Eric said, finally daring to walk in the kitchen to grab a blood. He came to stand behind me to drink his blood, using me as a shield, I supposed. I felt bad for him, a little bit, but all I could feel from him was amusement and love when he planted a kiss on my cheek.

We left soon thereafter to visit the new building. Pam and I had met with the decorator several times during the past three weeks since the building had become ours (not really mine but my husband's), but Eric and Pam had forbidden me to see the final project. They wanted to surprise me. The place would be more upscale than the original Fangtasia, and already the ads on the radio had made it clear by sticking the phrase "dress to impress" to the end of the ad. In other words, anybody trying to come in jeans would be in for a rude awakening. We had changed the name, and after a lot of indecision they took my suggestion to heart. Nobody liked Northman's, and they didn't want to name it Fangtasia for fear people would just assume it was just like the old place. So… after a night or two of bad suggestions, I logged on to the computer and started researching our last names. Northman, of course, was just something Eric put together from being called the North Man for so long. Stackhouse wasn't much better. But Ravenscroft had a long history behind it. I suggested the Raven's Den for the name of our new club, after finding out that croft meant paddock. That wasn't really going to work, so I chose a different word that sounded elegant but intimate.

That night, as I stared at the new outside of the building, I felt a tiny prickle of pride at seeing the name on a large sign that stood about thirty feet in the air, and was easily visible from the highway. I turned to look at the building and its surroundings. The brand new asphalt had cured to a glossy black, and it looked a little sad now with all the empty parking spots. Hopefully the next night the whole place would be hopping.

The building itself was painted gray and black (by now I knew those were standard colors), but one of the walls had a mural of a raven taking flight. It was different, and very beautiful. The front doors looked like polished chrome, and the entrance was covered by a red awning. It wasn't a _cute_ red awning with scalloped edges. It was actually a bit scary. The edges had been cut to look like fangs. Oooo-kay…

Eric led the way inside, holding my hand, expecting the reaction I was soon to have. My breath caught. Everything inside was shiny: chrome, mirrors, gold, polished tiles, glass tables. The dance floor was larger than I expected, and I could look up and see the tables on the second floor, next to the railing. There were booths along the walls, glowing softly each with its own source of light, and tables next to the dance floor. To the left was the bar, significantly longer than Fangtasia's. The words "Raven's Den" were shining eerily, sort of floating behind the bar with an odd blue glow.

"What do you think?" Pam asked because I hadn't moved past the front door, trying to take it all in. I turned to look at her. She actually looked nervous.

"It's so… Wow!" I said, feeling the smile that was starting to tug at my lips.

Glad and Diantha ran away to the DJ booth and Eric kept guiding me through the whole place. "The decorator did not waver from your suggestions. Do you approve?" he asked, letting go of me while I examined a booth. The booths were all circular with a table in the middle, upholstered in black with a strip of oak stained red as an accent piece. They could sit more than the standard four people.

"This is very nice, much nicer than I imagined. One thing is to see it in your mind, another is to see it in person," I said as the music started playing all through the new bar.

"We should try out the dance floor," Eric said. I turned around to see him holding his hand out for me. I smiled in delight. We hadn't danced in so long, since the summit. It didn't matter that I was wearing my pregnant uniform (tights and a flowing tunic) and he was wearing his standard jeans and a T-shirt. We were Fred and Ginger, and the dance floor was all ours.

Eric twirled me first then held me tight against him, swaying us to the music. I didn't know what we were listening to. The girls were playing around, so one song melted into another. Pam and Amelia were still exploring the rest of the club (no sense in calling it a bar, this was so much more). I forgot everything when I looked up and got lost in Eric's gaze. I sighed. Honestly, I could never get enough of his glacial blue eyes. They'd been one of the very first things that I'd noticed about him, other than his impressive size and the fact that he was a vampire.

I didn't notice that we'd stopped dancing. Eric was still holding me tight, boring into me with his intense stare, until he'd had enough and finally kissed me. It reminded me of some of our first kisses, soft, deliberate, nothing like I'd been expecting from him. I returned his soft kisses, enjoying this short interlude in our lives and the fact that we had the club all to ourselves for one glorious night.

It was impossible to forget all our other problems, the ones that were breathing down our necks: the Fellowship's vendetta against me, Victor Madden's sudden purchase of a home in Shreveport, plus… we also knew he was extremely upset that Eric and Pam had purchased the building right from under him. That wouldn't stop him from trying to find another building. Eric had been very busy lately, trying to track down Victor, trying to answer Queen Sophie-Anne's questions regarding Victor, dealing with a surge of new vampires wanting to move into the area, which he said was normal for the summer when they tired of New Orleans. He also had to deal with the normal day to day (or night to night) business of the fiefdom, plus make some hiring decisions for the new club.

I caressed his hair, knowing he'd been stressed and busy. I'd tried to help, but there was only so much I could do. Pam had done a lot on her own with the club, and of course, I'd helped her as well. But even with the excitement of a new place we were still wary and weary.

The feeling of wariness didn't dissipate on opening night. The lines to get in wound around the parking lot, and Eric had made it very clear that Thalia was to be up front together with whoever else wanted to help her. Maxwell Lee offered, and even though he wasn't the oldest or strongest vampire, the humans didn't know that. He still looked big, bad, and menacing, whereas Thalia only looked menacing and nuts. Either way there was always some idiot that wanted to cause trouble. That idiot turned out to be some vampire named Mickey. The humans had behaved amazingly well, and had definitely "dressed to impress," as the ad suggested. Mickey had dressed to impress, but decided to sass Thalia. Apparently Thalia's reputation as a deranged individual had not reached Mickey's ears, and he ended up flying through the air landing in the greenery that separated the club from the highway.

To our immense surprise, Victor Madden and his lackeys decided to make an appearance. We were heavy on the vampire personnel tonight, so we knew he wouldn't try anything stupid. I was watching all the goings on from the security office that was being manned by Tray Dawson, a lone Were that Alcide Herveaux suggested would be great as head of security. Tray had been a cop, and knew the laws and how to keep his cool, which was a big deal for a Were.

"Tray, keep an eye on those three," I muttered pointing at the screen when Victor entered the club.

"Sure thing," Tray said, moving another active camera to follow the vampires' progress. They were making their way to where Eric and Pam were sitting. Instead of a raised dais at the end of the dance floor, they had a whole corner cordoned off, with a large table and plushier chairs. They could entertain if they so chose. That was exactly what Eric did. I saw him motion for Victor to take a seat.

"I wonder what they're saying…" I whispered.

"It's all being recorded, per Eric's orders. Many of what is said in that corner is fiefdom business, and Eric wanted to make sure all the conversations would be available later," Tray said, and pointed to one of the many complicated programs running on a computer screen. I was afraid to touch anything, or mess with Tray's concentration, so I didn't say anything and backed away slowly.

Diantha was waiting for me behind the closed door of the security office, so I went and joined her. Indira was making her way to me down the long corridor of the back offices.

"Eric asked for you," she said and made a disapproving face. I had once compared her to a mama shark, and I hadn't been that far off. Right at that moment she was my own overprotective mama shark, and she didn't want me to go out into the vast ocean to face the meaner sharks.

I, on the other hand, had no choice. Eric wouldn't have called for me just to show me off. There was always an important reason for everything he did. So I motioned for all of us to skedaddle out to the main floor and join Eric and Pam. Besides, I was wearing Freyja's stones and my fairy brooch. I had Diantha right behind me, and Glad was somewhere in the club, mostly mingling. She was making sure nobody had any plans to harm me, so she was doing a type of reconnaissance.

We reached the vamps' corner and Eric and Victor immediately stood at our arrival. Eric took my hand and directed me to the seat he'd just vacated. Pam shot me a look that… well, let's just say that all it was missing was for her to stick her tongue out and make the universal gagging gesture. Victor was obviously one of those people.

"Darling, this is Victor Madden. Victor, this is my wife Sookie Stackhouse Northman," Eric said.

Victor bowed low and extended his hand asking for mine. I shot Pam a quick look. She was rolling her eyes, and it was all I could do to keep from giggling as I gave Victor my hand. He kissed it. I usually had no problem touching vampires, but something about Victor gave me the creeps. I'm usually not wrong about my creepy feelings, and of course he was already persona non grata in our books.

"A pleasure, Mrs. Northman," Victor said and we all sat except Eric and Diantha. Indira sat at the closest chair to Pam. Victor's people had gone off somewhere else; though I'm sure it wasn't very far. "I was just telling Sheriff Northman that your reputation precedes you. You are a celebrity amongst vampires."

"Oh? And why would that be?" I asked, playing stupid. I wanted him to talk and see if he would trip himself up. I didn't need Eric's direction on this one. His sudden pride told me I was doing exactly what he wanted me to do. Great minds think alike, what can I say?

"Obviously the Pythoness took a great shining to you, and you saved your Queen by telling the Great Oracle what happened during that awful night of the engagement party. Surely you understand what it means to be god touched," Victor said. What a strange conversation to have with someone you just met! No preambles, just blah!

"Yes, I know what the Pythoness said, I was there," I said, not really saying anything to answer his question/statement.

"And to find that you're with child! Was it a gift from the gods?" he asked, his dark eyes twinkling with something akin to mischief.

"Not exactly. It was a gift from our deep pockets, a generous donor, and a doctor's hard work. But I don't understand why this is any of your business, Mr. Madden," I said, telling Victor in not uncertain words that I'd been impregnated through in vitro fertilization. But really, what business was it of his? I smelled a rat.

"I apologize, Mrs. Stackhouse. Like I said, you're a celebrity and I'm being very nosy," he said, looking properly contrite, although his excuse was lame.

"Have you filed the paperwork to remain in the area?" Eric changed the subject none too subtly.

"Yes I have, but I never received a response. I imagined that since Fangtasia burned down that our approval got lost in the mail," Victor said. He seemed to be trying to pull the wool over Eric's eyes. What was he playing at?

"If you had resubmitted, like you ought to have, you would know that I do not approve of nests within my area. You will have to find separate domiciles for your nest mates, and they have to file separate petitions to remain. You alone have my verbal permission to stay in my area. Your nest mates have three days to leave or submit the necessary paperwork. I can make their approval retroactive if you pay the applicable fine," Eric said, keeping it all business. He was like the immigration officer for the area.

"Of course, Sheriff," Victor said, still eyeing me curiously from time to time. He left the corner after a few more pleasantries, and rejoined his… people. I use the word loosely. The man looked a lot like Victor: tall, light skin, dark hair, but he was a bit brawnier. The woman was just as tall as the men, with dark skin and her hair in perfect (and probably expensive) braids.

I heard Pam harrumph quietly next to me, and Eric sat on the chair where Victor had been sitting. "Too bad you can't read vampire minds," he said taking my hand.

"No, but I know when someone is digging for something. I don't know why the interest in our baby," I said to Eric, feeling truly scared for once. It was like being told a hurricane is coming, and you batten down the hatches as best you can, but you just know that the old tree in the backyard is going to fall, and you can only hope it won't fall on the house.

"I think it's time, Eric. I don't think it can be postponed anymore," Pam said, rather cryptically.

I turned to look at Eric who sagged in the chair looking defeated. "I'll make the phone call," he said and stood up slowly, like an old man with creaky joints. Whatever he was about to do was a heavy burden.

I didn't dare ask, but felt my phone vibrate inside my bra where I'd put it due to my lack of pockets. After all, I also had to dress to impress.

My phone had a message from Pam. She must have sent it as I stared at poor Eric getting up from his chair. The message said: _Eric is calling QSA and asking permission to kill Victor. Once done will start war with Nevada. Only way we see to keep you safe._

The room went silent for just a split second, before my own mama shark instincts kicked into gear. There was no way that I was going to let Eric kill Victor and start a war with the state of Nevada. I couldn't let that fall on his shoulders, not after all the stress he'd been under. So I forwarded the text to Claudine, asking for help of any kind. I only hoped that whatever help my family could send wouldn't be too late to arrive.

**TBC**


	60. The Family

**A/N: **Hi! So, this week I decided to submit my entry to the "Dead After Dead Reckoning" Contest. Many of you have already read it (thank you so much!), but if you haven't caught it and would like to see my version of what happens after _Dead Reckoning_, by all means check it out. It's called "Nothing's Gonna Change My World." There's a link through my profile.

As I write this there is one other entry by Suki59. I read it and couldn't stop laughing. So here's the link to the whole contest, for those of you who'd like to check out all the other works (just take out the spaces): http : / / www . Fanfiction . net / u / 2890449 /

I'm divvying the chapter: the top half is Sookie's POV, and the bottom half is Eric's. It will be pretty easy to follow who's who. Sookie is the cranky one. Eric is the crabby one.

**P.S. I had to fix something in the chapter (I used a word in the wrong sense)... just in case anybody gets a duplicate email update, that's why.**

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**Chapter 60 – The Family**

It was raining cats and dogs when we closed Raven's Den for the night, and not an umbrella in sight. Of course. Isn't that always the case? The day you don't need an umbrella, you remember to bring it. The night you need it, you forget to bring it. I think umbrellas hide on rainy days so as to be easily forgotten (out of sight, out of mind). They don't like to get wet either. In all fairness, nobody was expecting the sudden thunderstorm at TWO O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING! Who expects that kind of crap?

Eric, my gentlemanly vampire, left Glad, Diantha, and me waiting just outside the doors to the club while he got the truck. Pam went with him to retrieve her car. We were all on high alert after Victor's visit, so it was not a time to wander around alone. Sure enough, before Eric could get to us two shapes made it out of the greenery between the club and the highway, from around the same spot where the vampire Mickey had landed when Thalia threw him out.

I knew from their brains that they were not vampires, but I also knew they were not humans. Glad and Diantha took their positions in front of me, and I pressed my back to the door, fingering my necklace just to reassure myself that it was still there. I wasn't sure what it would do if I was in trouble again. I doubted there were any loose lions in the outskirts of Shreveport that would come to my rescue. Maybe a few feral cats? What would they do? Go ninja kitty on their butts? Highly doubtful.

As soon as the two… persons?... were near the awning, Eric came around the corner making the truck screech to a halt and getting out super vampire fast to assess the threat.

"Northman, we were sent by Prince Niall," said one of _them_. In the lights of the truck I could see they were two fairies: a man and a woman that bore a remarkable resemblance to each other.

"The vampires are not here. They have gone back to their nest," Eric said. I was a little lost, but gathered that Eric knew these fairies. Either way, Glad and Diantha didn't move. In fact, a sword was beginning to shimmer into existence from Glad's hand, and Diantha's hands were glowing just a little. They were warming up, I guessed. Eric's body language didn't warm the cockles of my heart towards the fairies. He was getting ready for a fight.

The two fairies smiled at Eric but it didn't make me feel reassured. It made me feel repulsed, and I couldn't figure out why. They were beautiful, as all fairies are, tall with long brown hair that looked good even wet, features that would make any Hollywood actor sick with envy, wearing black leather from their stylish jackets to their tight pants. But something about how they moved, or something evil in their make-up, made me want to cringe and run away. When their eyes alighted on me, it took everything I had to stay exactly where I was.

"She's large with child, brother," the female said, and I immediately covered my belly with my hands, even though the fairies could barely see me standing behind my body guards. Glad's sword was not a hint in her hands anymore. It was very solid. Diantha's fire was fully lit and she was holding her palms up at either side of her, ready to strike.

"We will not harm your mate, vampire. We were sent here to capture the ones who seek to harm her. We would be much obliged if you pointed us in the right direction," said the male.

Eric was still almost crouching in a defensive pose when he answered and gave them Victor's address. I'd learned something right then and there: Eric knew exactly where Victor was at all times. He'd been keeping track of the other vampire. He really _had_ been planning to kill him. I felt a new fear creeping up. Obviously Eric knew the threat better than I did. Why hadn't he told me? The only reason I could think of was that whatever Eric knew was something that would make me sick with worry, and he'd been trying to keep me calm.

Even as the fairies left I couldn't shake the feeling of dread they had brought with them. That was very odd, because usually I felt very much at peace and relaxed around fairies. Pam slinked out from where she'd been assessing the situation, looking like a wet mouse.

"Niall sent _those_ two?" Pam asked Eric, looking wide-eyed and astonished.

"Fintan brought them first to take care of the people who burned Fangtasia," Eric answered.

"Wait a second!" I said, elbowing my way through Glad and Diantha's "Great Wall of Demons." "You," I pointed at Eric, "explain now."

Eric was about to roll his eyes, but instead blew an exasperated sigh. We were all getting pelted with huge raindrops from the thunderstorm, but I was too upset to care. I wasn't sure if I was mad or afraid, and Eric knew it plenty well. "Let's get in the car. I do not wish to linger," he said, and with that picked me up and had me in my seat faster than I could blink. My bodyguards were inside the truck very fast too, and Eric hit the gas so hard on the truck that the tires had a hard time finding purchase on the slick new pavement in front of the club. He blew another sigh (honestly, WHY did he do that?), and let go of the accelerator, pressing it again with a little more finesse. "Sorry," he muttered as we finally got on our way.

Diantha passed me a spare towel we always kept in the truck, and I did my best to squeeze the rain out of my hair before doing the same to Eric. It's not true that vampires don't feel hot or cold. They feel it but do not suffer it. They don't sweat in the heat and they don't shiver in the cold. Still, wet hair is just annoying all around.

"Thank you," he mumbled, still lost in his thoughts. I wished he would talk already, but I knew he would eventually, particularly now that I'd called him on it. He was also trying to rein in his feelings because I could barely feel him through the bond. It was hard to decipher, but I could detect a hint of battle mode. We rode on the highway in silence, and he only turned to me when we were at a light close to home. "How's Idony? Are you okay?" Eric asked, placing a hand open wide on my belly and rubbing lovingly.

"She's been asleep for a while, and I'm all right. Those fairies gave me the creeps," I said, hoping that bringing it up would make him talk.

"Those were Neave and Lochlan. I can't believe Niall let them come back after what they did to the people who burned Fangtasia," Eric said and shook his head. I didn't push the issue because I really did not want to know what a pair of demented fairies did to the pair of demented humans. Whatever it was, it hadn't been deserved, judging by Eric's reaction. "In this case, however, I wouldn't mind letting them take over the unpleasant business of getting rid of Victor."

Eric's phone vibrated inside his pocket and he picked it up vampire fast, not even bothering to greet the caller. He simply listened.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Niall Brigant began speaking into my ear the moment I brought the phone up. "Sookie's mate, listen to me. I sent Neave and Lochlan to gather Victor Madden and his nest. I am sure that the ultimate goal is to seize Louisiana, and they're using my great-granddaughter to obtain said goal. I cannot allow that for obvious reasons. I hate to do any vampires a favor, but since Sookie chose you as her mate, now you are part of our clan as well, vampire or otherwise."

Niall paused, giving me a chance to say something. "I know what Sookie did," I said, referring to her picking me as her mate. It had been an honor that she hadn't known she had bestowed. "Tell me the price."

"No price, Eric. My family's safety is priceless. We will redirect Nevada's gaze to us, and the moment we get a confession from Victor we will move in and kill Felipe de Castro for plotting to harm Sookie," he said with venom in his voice. I loved Sookie, but her fae family was fucking crazy. To prove my own point, Niall's next order of business had me about to break the steering wheel as hard as I gripped it. "After we remove Nevada, your Queen will have to take over that state. Tell her that our price to remove Felipe de Castro is his casino."

Felipe de Castro owned the lucrative and amazing Bellagio, under the guise of several enterprises. Now the fairies wanted it. "Sookie is priceless" my ass. "In order for me to convince her to do that, she will need proof that Felipe's death was merited, and she will probably want to do the deed herself," I said carefully. I wanted to stay away from this business. All I ever wanted was to keep my family safe. Was that so much to ask? Shit!

"Very well, that can be arranged. I will have Neave and Lochlan gather Victor. Sophie-Anne can come watch the interrogation and then we will be glad to let her confront Felipe as she wishes. I am sure that one casino is worth her keeping her two states and gaining a third lucrative one," Niall said, so full of himself. Had he not read about the economic troubles plaguing Nevada in general and Las Vegas in particular. Whatever. To each his own.

I agreed to call Sophie-Anne and did so after we were in the house. The whole time I had to postpone talking to Sookie. It ate at me not telling her things, knowing how badly things turned out whenever I kept information from her. I had made up my mind that she didn't need to know what Victor had been up to. Every item of information he had gathered on Sookie had been carefully fed to him. He knew a lot about her, but most of it was either common knowledge or complete fabrication. However, Victor had somehow figured out that our baby had been conceived thanks to my goddess, and that wasn't something that anybody knew except Pam, and Pam wasn't one to talk. She loved Sookie, and she loved her niece.

After Sophie-Anne agreed that it would behoove her to be present for Victor's interrogation, I was finally able to give Sookie my undivided attention. She was in the kitchen devouring a ham sandwich, from the smell of it. She was sitting at the counter on one of the stools she had added to the kitchen, her feet already bare, and all her jewelry sitting on the counter next to her purse. She had even put her hair up. Her flowing black dress was still damp, and incongruous with her surroundings. She'd never looked more beautiful. Sookie turned to me and arched an eyebrow, waiting for me to speak.

I told her everything about Victor, my whole conversation with Niall, and told her about what Sophie-Anne was going to do about it. I told Sookie everything I knew and did not leave a single morsel of information out. The whole time she held her tongue and listened intently, taking it all in and probably analyzing everything to death.

"Thank you," she said at the end of my account in a low soothing voice. "I wish you would have told me sooner, but I understand why you didn't, and I'm grateful that you told me now," she said, too formal. I knew she was upset but trying to calm down. Then she did something that I hadn't expected her to do at that particular moment: she opened her arms to me, asking silently for a hug.

I quickly closed the gap between us, wanting nothing more than to return her embrace. I let the bond open fully now that all I was feeling was my love for her. I'd tried to close it earlier so as to not overwhelm her with my emotions. It had been very difficult to do under the circumstances.

"Let's go to bed," she whispered in my ear, and I knew what she meant. I picked her up, knowing that her feet were hurting, and carried her to our bedroom. I set her gingerly on the bed, admiring the dress one more time. She didn't seem to like it. She had said it was too tight around her belly. I, on the other hand, wanted to show off both my girls: my lovely wife, and my precious Idony.

"You look beautiful," I said, watching Sookie's cheeks fill in with blood. I loved to make her blush, and it took so little. Usually an honest compliment did the trick. She smiled and I smiled, helping her take off the dress, revealing smooth tanned skin, her large supple breasts that had been preparing and filling with milk, and then her belly, the single most beautiful thing that we had created. Our child.

Once Sookie and I were completely naked, I indulged in listening in on my daughter. I didn't need to put my ear to Sookie's swollen belly to listen, but I wanted to be close to Sookie. She always took the opportunity to caress my hair or my shoulders whenever I listened to her belly. "How is she?" I asked. Sookie's ability to sense Idony had expanded in the past month. It was truly remarkable.

"She's awake, listening to us. The food made her wake up. Any minute now she'll start moving around." No sooner had Sookie said this that I felt a bump and saw her belly stretch ever so slightly as Idony found a different position within the womb. "You know… making love will rock her to sleep," Sookie said with a hint of mischief in her voice.

"I like the way you think, my love," I said, trailing a hand up her thigh and letting my thumb find her pleasure center. I massaged it and the area around it, dipping it inside Sookie to find the wetness and bring it closer. Her scent filled me. It was such a delectable perfume, so close to the scent of her blood, yet different. I craved it.

Sookie gasped when my tongue made a path through her center. She was delicious and I wanted more. I devoured her sex, making hungry sounds that I knew she liked. She liked it when I showed her my pleasure with sound. She was just as vocal, just as uninhibited. She had grown accustomed to having the demon sisters in the house, and never held back anymore. Not that anybody would be able to hear much through the walls and door of this particular bedroom.

With a mighty cry Sookie trembled under my mouth, sighing and hissing when I attempted to pleasure her some more after her climax. The small pearl of her pleasure was swollen and ready, and I was ready to take my wife and make her mine.

"Eric, please," she pleaded breathlessly as I teased the tender nub with my cock, parting her folds, spreading her juices over her and on me. The whole room smelled like her now. All I wanted was to bury my cock inside her, but first I wanted her to pant my name with desire. "Don't tease, Eric," she said, attempting to bring me closer to her using her legs.

I kept moving my cock over the wet folds, watching my cock part them and refusing to enter. "I want to hear you ask for what you want Sookie." I mumbled. I lost my ability for speech whenever her sex was so beautifully available for me to ravage.

"Please, Eric. I need you. I need you inside me," she said, more like whimpered. It was good enough for me, plus I could not delay it any longer. My own need for her was all-consuming, and buried my cock inside her warmth. Every time we made love it was another delicious adventure. If this is what it meant to be mated to a fairy, I would put up with her family just to have the luxury of fucking Sookie's pussy and knowing it was mine, all mine.

"Mine," I growled low. I was kneeling above her, my eyes riveted on her breasts as they bounced with each of my thrusts. "Mine, so lovely, mine." I curled over her, careful not to crush her belly. I stole a kiss from her luscious lips, then another, building up to a frenzy of kisses and plunging thrusts.

Sookie's climax made her moan inside my mouth, and soon she clamped around my cock. "So tight," I whispered into our kiss as I felt my own orgasm rise from my insides and shoot into Sookie. I thanked my goddess as I came, because only Freyja could have granted me such a perfect mate.

I tucked my wife's body into mine, molding my own around her so that there was no space left between us. We were one. She was sleepy and yawning wide, something I hadn't felt the need to do in a long time, even though they say yawns are contagious.

"Are you okay?" she asked me.

I frowned in confusion, even though she didn't see me. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm perfect right at this moment. Why do you ask?"

"I saw how you were with the whole business with Victor. It looked as if you were carrying the world on your shoulders, and I was wondering if you were… well, if not okay, at least better than earlier tonight," she clarified.

"Yes, my love, I am better. Your family helped us avoid a war with the state of Nevada. That was the most important part," I told her truthfully.

"I know they're greedy, but I figured out that's just the way fairies are, except Claudine because she wants to become something better. Otherwise, why leave their homes in Fairy at all?"

"You are correct about that," I said, because she had come to that conclusion on her own, whereas I'd had to learn it the hard way a long time ago, long before Sookie's American ancestors were even in America.

But that would be a story for another time.

**TBC**

**A/N: Don't forget to check out the "Dead After Dead Reckoning Contest"! K, thanks, bye! :-)**


	61. A Fairytale Ending

**A/N: **Y'all won't believe the amazingly gorgeous banner that Black Dead Orchids created for this fic. It isn't a banner: it's an ad for the Super Bowl. She actually made a video ! ! ! A VIDEO! YES I'M SHOUTING! So stop reading this for exactly 30 seconds, go to my profile page and follow the link, and then kindly come back. Now, for those of you who don't know of my insanity, I have a thing (not in a good way) about seeing Anna Paquin naked on True Blood (it gives me the creeps), so Black Dead Orchids did me the favor and chose Scarlett Johansson as Sookie. I think Scarlett is prettier anyway. But my issues go deeper than who's the prettier girl, so if y'all just go with it, we're all good. (Yeah… keep the crazy lady calm, LOL!)

Oh! And this is from Eric's POV 'cause… Sookie cannot be where he will be.

* * *

**Chapter 61 – A Fairytale Ending**

Sookie watched as I shrugged into a blazer. It wasn't one of the newer or nicer ones I owned. I needed to dress good enough to receive Sophie-Anne, but not in something that I was attached to. I could feel Sookie's worry rolling off her. She was worried for me. She had been feeling that way ever since Fangtasia burned down. That night she had made love to me, and she had not stopped her careful attentions ever since, always touching me in a loving way, making sure I had what I needed when I needed it, going above and beyond anything I had ever expected from her. She did this because she thought I was under a lot of stress. She was right, and I felt mad and guilty as hell for not being able to show her another face.

"I love you," she said. She was sitting on the bed dangling her legs. I wished I had time to make love to her before leaving, but I had to meet with Sophie-Anne and she would be arriving shortly. Nevertheless I closed the gap between my wife and me trying to, at least, not frown.

"I love you too, beautiful. What's on your mind?" I asked her, taking her hands and drawing circles on her palms with my thumbs.

"Other than thinking you look stressed enough to get a heart attack, nothing," she said and smiled. Perhaps if I'd been human I would have been in danger of a heart attack. So many things happening at once, so many threats against my wife and child, and my inability to keep her safe myself had me very, very worried. Constantly worried.

"Perhaps it is time for me to consider giving up my post as sheriff," I said looking into her eyes for her reaction. She immediately frowned and took a breath, about to speak. She closed her mouth and did it again, but remained silent, still searching my eyes. "I mean it," I said, guessing her argument.

"I have no doubt that you mean it, but I always thought you enjoyed your political office," she argued anyway.

I smiled. "There are more important things right now." I put my hand on her cheek. I had eternity ahead of me, but Sookie and Idony were fixed marks in my history and their time on Earth was finite. I couldn't count on either of them wanting to join me, not while Sookie needed to remain human for our baby's sake, and Idony had not even been born.

"Would you consider being a king someday?" Sookie asked me, although she already knew my answer to that.

"Maybe someday, but not anytime soon. The higher I am, the harder I can fall, and I don't want to expose you in that manner. I only want to keep you safe, my love. I see what my choices have done and…" I stopped talking. Once again I felt incredibly guilty for the things I'd put Sookie through. She was shaking her head adamantly.

"No, Eric. Every choice you made led us to this point, so don't regret anything. I'll always support you in whatever you decide, but I don't want you to later feel that we," she pointed at her belly, "kept you from doing what you wanted."

"Of course not Sookie," I said immediately, because she had been my best supporter, other than Pam. "I have to go, but we will talk," I said and kissed her lips. "How is my baby?" I asked when I pulled away.

"She's asleep," Sookie answered, rubbing the top of her abdomen. I put my hand on hers and silently asked Freyja to watch over them.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Eric, so nice to see you. How is Sookie?" Sophie-Anne asked kissing my cheeks as if we were on a social call. A warehouse loomed in the very near distance. It was the same abandoned warehouse where Hallow had kept Sookie. The fairies had remembered.

"Sookie is doing well, thank you for asking," I said and bowed, kiss or no kiss. She was still my Queen.

"They tell me nowadays you can know the gender of the child while it is still in its mother's womb. Is that right?" she asked. We started walking towards the warehouse.

"That is right, but we don't know it yet," I answered, unwilling to part with that information at this particular time. Sophie-Anne would find out soon enough.

Sophie-Anne had brought Sigebert and Andre, as well as Rasul and Melanie who were scouting the area. I had asked Thalia and Godric to join me. As old as they were they had the most control over their nature, and they would be able to resist the scent of fairies. This was the first time I had asked Godric to work for me, and he had accepted now that his child had been a vampire for about eight months. She could stand a night without her maker.

We entered the warehouse and met with Niall who was dressed in his full prince regalia. He was probably trying to upstage Sophie-Anne who was wearing her usual tailored suit. Niall always carried his staff, but tonight he was also wearing a white silk suit, a dark red velvet cape, and a thin golden crown on his head. When he smiled I could see a slight resemblance to Sookie.

"Good evening, your majesty," Niall said to Sophie-Anne and nodded. That was as low as he would go for her.

"Prince Niall, it is always a pleasure to see you, although it would have been better in different circumstances," Sophie-Anne said and nodded as well.

"Of course, Queen Sophie-Anne. Now if you will permit me, I must greet my great-grandson," said Niall looking at me. "Eric, I trust all is well."

"Yes, your highness," I nodded, not wanting to go lower for fear of upsetting my Queen. Besides, Niall was family, not my ruler. "Sookie sends her love," I said, almost feeling the words choke me on exit. She had actually said something different altogether, but I decided it would be safe to edit her message. She was upset over the casino that the fairies wanted for taking care of the mess.

"Yes, I know Eír is looking forward to seeing her again," Niall said and winked. Eír was the demigoddess of healing and sister of Freyja. Niall had mentioned she helped the Brigant family, and that she would help when the time came. I always thought he meant when it was Sookie's time to give birth. I didn't know Eír had already seen Sookie.

"Again?" I asked before I could stop myself.

Niall looked at me curiously before answering. "Of course," he said, but didn't elaborate, and I did not have time to think about it further. A low growl from somewhere inside the warehouse drew our attention away from Niall.

"Neave and Lochlan have been very busy all day long with the three vampires from Nevada," Niall explained. He wasn't smiling, but he seemed to want to.

"What have they found?" asked Sophie-Anne.

"They have not asked any questions yet. They patiently waited for your arrival," said Niall. I heard someone shift uncomfortably behind us, and guessed it was Andre.

"What are the terms?" Sophie-Anne asked, quickly getting to the point.

Niall finally gave into his smile and enumerated the terms of his involvement. They shook hands on them and he said he had to leave. Upon his departure he took away the magic that masked the fairy scent from Neave and Lochlan, and it hit all of us at the same time. My gums began to itch but I managed to keep my fangs retracted. Sophie-Anne, being younger, simply let hers drop first before reining in her control.

"Let's get this show on the road," she said, sounding about as excited as I was at the prospect of seeing Neave and Lochlan tear somebody to pieces.

We walked to the other end of the warehouse slowly, adjusting our senses. The smell of old blood was very strong. What Niall said was true: Neave and Lochlan had been having their fun with Victor, Bruno, and Corinna. They probably did not let the vampires sleep. One look at Victor confirmed it. He was hanging limply from chains tethered to the exposed beams of the tall ceiling, and looked to be asleep. The other two vampires were bound to chairs with chains made of silver. _All_ the chains were made of silver.

Neave approached us, looking at me and licking her fingers clean of blood. The gesture was oddly arousing and repugnant at the same time. Her fairy scent was intoxicating, her body was scintillating, but the things she was capable of made me ill at ease. She nevertheless approached me to within a couple of inches, her body so close I could feel its warmth. She caressed my face with her wet fingers, and I couldn't stop my fangs from lengthening. My nostrils flared, taking in more of her scent and almost giving in to my desire. Thalia pulled me and got in front of me, baring her fangs at Neave in a threatening way. I had never been so glad to have given Thalia a raise when the Queen had suggested it. She effectively kept me from ravaging Neave.

"I was only teasing," said the fairy and giggled.

"Get on with it, already. Prince Niall said you're my employees until I dismiss you, so get to work," Sophie-Anne barked.

Neave shrugged one shoulder and unsheathed a blade. It was about ten inches long, slightly curved, with an ivory hilt and a shiny silver blade. While Lochlan was having his fun cutting Corinna's expensive braids one by one from her head, Neave roused Victor by hitting the broad side of the blade against his cheek. Victor shrieked loudly as the silver made contact with what was, up to that point, flawless clean skin.

"Why did you come to Louisiana?" Neave asked in her sexiest voice. She truly enjoyed her work. When Victor didn't answer she began massaging his groin. "Answer me, Victor. We all want to know," she said, now using a sing-song tone. What would come next would be unpleasant if Victor chose not to answer.

"My king sent me," he croaked and went limp again, letting the weight of his body be carried by the chains.

"What was the ultimate purpose?" she asked. We all watched as she cut a gash on Victor's other cheek. The sudden smell of fresh blood combined with the fairy scent sent all of us reeling. I was still trying my best not to steal Neave and fuck her and drain her. Thalia and Godric must have seen it in my face and came to stand slightly before me. They were each at least twice my age, and there was no way I could have escaped them to reach the fairy. I was so lost, trying my best to keep control, that I did not pay attention to the Queen's entourage. Sigebert was the youngest among us, but he was kept in check with Sophie-Anne's mental abilities. Andre had more freedom from her. He was the one who started moving slowly closer to Neave. He reminded me of a stink bug Sookie had found inside the house, and how it had moved towards the light so she could catch it.

_Sookie and Idony need me to be in control. I cannot hurt them this way. I could lose everything_, I said to myself, still watching as Andre approached Neave. She was watching him out of the corner of her eye. Suddenly Neave turned on him, so quickly that she was nothing but a blur to my own eyes. She resumed her position beside Victor, leaving Andre wondering what had just happened to him.

The brunette beauty held Andre's dismembered hand by two dainty fingers like a cup of tea. She dropped the hand like a soiled handkerchief. Andre looked at the stump where his hand used to be and screamed. I turned to Sophie-Anne who merely rolled her eyes. Apparently she _had_ been trying to control Andre, and he had refused to listen to her. Rasul and Melanie burst inside the warehouse, not needing any direction other than the sight of Andre holding his bleeding arm. They moved swiftly and got him out of the warehouse.

"Neave, stop mutilating my staff and get on with it," Sophie-Anne said in a bored tone, but I knew her better. She was seething mad.

Neave turned to Victor, whose eyes were now open and taking in everything that was happening. His eyes followed Neave's movements with fear and a hint of loathing. "I haven't heard an answer from you about the ultimate purpose of your being in Louisiana," she said, giving Victor one more chance.

Victor knew he would die that night. He could only hope it would be swift and painless if he answered the questions quickly. "King Felipe wanted me to either harm the telepath Sookie Stackhouse, or try to bring her to Nevada. All the monarchs in the south would demand Sophie-Anne's death for her carelessness, and he could take over Louisiana and Arkansas."

"Did you get the Fellowship involved?" Lochlan asked this time. He had moved over to Bruno, examining one of his arms as if deciding whether to bite it and how it would taste.

"I got the Fellowship involved so nobody would suspect," Victor answered. Corinna was crying at the loss of her hair. That was the least of her problems. Bruno whimpered when he saw Lochlan pull a blade very similar to Neave's. The screams made even Sigebert cringe when Lochlan decided that, instead of biting Bruno's arm, he was going to carve intricate patterns on it with his silver blade.

"Neave, let me ask him the questions and you can go ahead and do what you need to do if he doesn't answer," Sophie-Anne said, not daring to move from her spot. She asked Victor for Felipe's weaknesses, his defenses, how to gain control of his compound, everything Victor knew about how to bring Felipe down. Once she was satisfied, Sophie-Anne gave the final command to dispose of Victor, Bruno, and Corinna. I was sure they were thankful that their torture would soon be over.

Neave began with Victor, who was sniveling as he watched her face turn into a jubilant mask. She placed a finger over her lips, shushing him. Victor froze and stopped making any kind of noise, his face a mask of fear. The fairy took hold of his head with both hands and placed the sole of her stiletto boot on his chest. Then she did a perfect back flip, ripping his head free from his shoulders. She stuck the landing as we all watched the body begin to flake immediately.

"I trust you will take care of the other two without my supervision," Sophie-Anne said to Lochlan, the only one paying attention. Neave was busy examining the head in her hands.

"Yes, your majesty," Lochlan answered.

I almost ran out the door. It took everything out of me to actually walk out rather than run, but I could only go as fast as Sophie-Anne was going. Once outside she walked directly to where Rasul and Melanie were taking care of Andre.

"Didn't I tell you it was a bad idea for you to come here? This is what you get for wanting to prove me wrong! Once again, I'm proven right," she chastised Andre. I was sure her outburst against him in front of us hurt him more than the loss of his hand.

She turned to me, still very mad. "Sookie is safe, correct?"

"Yes, your majesty. She is always accompanied by Gladiola and Diantha, or by Pam and me."

"Very good. I'm going after Felipe and I want you at your post and at your best in case I need you to handle a sudden influx of people. When is the baby due?" she asked, moving chess pieces in her head.

"At the end of September."

"Very well. The coup shouldn't take that long. We should be done with all this by the end of July. I'm sorry they thought Sookie was a good target for their plan. I really am, Eric. If you need anything to help you ensure her safety, go ahead and call Mr. Cataliades. I don't want her to end up a pawn like my poor Hadley," Sophie-Anne said, revealing a part of herself I seldom got to see, but one I admired.

"Thank you, your majesty."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Should I even ask?" Sookie said. She had heard me come in the house and had joined me in our bedroom. I hadn't wanted to interrupt her. She had been enjoying a movie with Glad and Diantha in the den. I told Sookie that it could wait, but she was adamant that it could not.

"It would be better if you didn't," I answered her and saw her frown. She was hurt, so I had to explain. "Neave and Lochlan were merciless. They even attacked Andre." I told Sookie the information they had gathered, and what Sophie-Anne was going to do now. I left out what the fairies had done to obtain the information, and my own moments of weakness. That would only hurt her, and nothing had happened anyway.

"So now what?" she asked. She was asking the question with regards to us.

"Now we wait on the Queen's next item of business for me. She wants me to remain here doing my job. I suspect she might want me to become regent in Nevada eventually," I said and shrugged, letting Sookie know that it wasn't a big deal.

"Regent, as in the person in charge of Nevada?" she asked to clarify. I nodded and her eyes widened. "I thought you didn't want that," she pointed out in a small voice. I wasn't sure what she was thinking exactly.

"I don't know, now. I suppose I'm jumping the gun, as they say, since the Queen hasn't said anything and it's only conjecture."

"Oh, okay," Sookie said, not convinced. I could understand her confusion. I was vacillating, and I'd seldom been that way in front of her. I was weighing options, pros and cons, thinking of both the small and big pictures, keeping in mind the very near future as well as the not so near. Just as Sophie-Anne had been moving chess pieces inside her head, so was I. The only difference was our motives: Sophie-Anne wanted power. I only wanted my family beside me, so I had to find the best way to accomplish that.

**TBC**

* * *

**A/N: Alive After Dark is officially massive. Minus this chapter, the story has well over a quarter of a million words, it's on the alerts of over 600 people and in the favorites list of 400 of you… AND, I get alerts pretty much every day from people either subscribing to it or favoriting it. WOW! Plus, I never tire of those wonderful reviews. We have some rocky times ahead still, but the story is drawing to a close. Since the books are my outline, and I've been fixing so many things that have gone wrong by using plain ol' common sense, some of the issues that came up in book 11 are no longer valid. So… that leaves me with book 10, and not much else. I'm only giving y'all a heads up, that this story probably won't last another 60 chapters! Holy majoly! Aren't y'all tired of me already? LOL!**


	62. The Meeting

**A/N #1: **For those of you that read WiaV, skip this part. The rest you please keep reading, I have some news:

1) Mark your calendars! I'll be chatting about AAD with the Fangreaders on June 28 at 8pm GMT (I'm almost sure that's 3pm EST). If you'd like to join me visit their website and ask them for a password for the chat room. The website is Fangreaders(dot)blogspot(dot)com. I love going in their chat room, more so when I'm talking about one of my babies.

2) I have two new banners for AAD, so I have three total: the Super Bowl ad, and two beautiful static ones. Pleasepleaseplease go to my profile and click through the links. BlackDeadOrchids did an absolutely astonishing job of all three of them, and I'm so happy that she was able to do that for me. The highest authority (my lil' bro) said he loved them (probably because ScarJo was semi-naked).

**A/N #2: We're back to Sookie's POV. :-)**

* * *

**Chapter 62 – The Meeting**

It was a tight squeeze fitting Glad, Diantha, Eric and me in the Bon Temps house overnight. I ended up sleeping in my old bedroom and gave Glad and Diantha the bigger bed in the master bedroom so they could share. Eric and I spent a very… interesting night in my tiny twin size bed. He certainly seemed to enjoy it, and I got a small thrill out of making love in the bed that had been mine for so many years.

Spending our free night in Bon Temps had been a compromise. I needed to check on Bill's house the next day, and my fairy family was coming the next night to meet Jason. I had talked to Claudine at length, and she agreed to help me convince Fintan that Jason needed to know more about his background. Most of all, I wanted him to be aware of the fantastic world around him, and to understand our place in it. It was a way to keep him safe, in my opinion.

Jason had changed considerably in the past few months, ever since I'd told him he was going to be an uncle. It seemed to sober him up. He was now dating one girl steadily, and it seemed to be serious, judging by the way he spoke about her. Her name was Michele with one "L," whereas our mom's name had been Michelle with two "L's." Both women could not be more different. I'd met Michele, and she was not the kind to moon over Jason like my mom had mooned over my dad. Maybe that was why Jason liked her so much. She was not an easy catch.

Claudine had said that Jason may not be able to wrap his head around the mighty revelation that he was part fairy, and I told her that if things went wrong I'd have Eric glamour him into forgetting the meeting. I was hoping it wouldn't come to that. I really wanted Jason included into the family, even if they were not the most well-adjusted of peoples. At least they did right by me, for what it was worth.

The early morning, about half an hour before dawn, found Eric and me making good use of the bed. His feet were hanging off the bottom edge, and I was wedged between the wall and him, with Idony sleeping peacefully between us. We'd already made love once that night, and then we had talked a lot. Eric had been so stressed since Fangtasia had burned down that we had barely spent quality time with each other. After Neave and Lochlan disposed of Victor Madden, his stress had eased, and spending time in Bon Temps brought back good memories for him.

"The night I tucked you in this bed, I wanted to make love to you so badly," he confessed. He didn't want to say "the night your grandmother died," which was kind of sweet of him. Eric knew how to be tactful most of the time.

"I know you did," I said, pressing my body against his. "But I'm glad you didn't. It made me fall in love with you that you were so attentive and sensitive to me."

"Are you really in love with me, Sookie?" he asked, rubbing my nose with his.

"Silly question, honey. I'm head over heels in love with you, and I can't believe you haven't noticed," I said and he smiled. He gave me an open mouthed kiss on my bare shoulder and I felt like I would melt. Yep! I was still very much in love with him. "Are you in love with me?" I asked shyly… I don't know why.

"I've been in love with you since I first laid eyes on you. The feeling only gets stronger by the day." He meant by the night, but I understood and smiled too.

"I think Idony will have your eyes," I said, barely able to see them in the dark. I was sure she would have the glacial blue eyes of her dad.

"You may be right. Tow-headed too," he said caressing my hair. I saw my baby girl the way Eric saw her, and felt a little heartache thinking that he was probably remembering how his children looked. He caught on quick, feeling the little sadness that had crept in. "It's okay, Sookie. You've made everything better, my love."

Eric left me and hid in his cubby hole for the day, and I slept like the dead until the smell of food and coffee beckoned. It was almost one in the afternoon when I finally emerged from my bedroom. Whenever the girls cooked they went all out: eggs, bacon, sausage, pancakes, fruit. Actually, that morning they had made crepes, and I was all kinds of happy about the unexpected treat. They both ate so much that they put even the pregnant lady to shame. They had found my old cast iron pan and made crepes the size of the pan; in other words HUGE!

"Can't wait taseeBill's 'ouse," Glad said and then stuffed her face.

I frowned in confusion. "Why's that? I don't like it at all. It reminds me of a haunted house on Scooby Doo."

"Oh! That's kindacool. We'lltellya ifit's haunted," Diantha said, looking a little too pleased at the prospect. Well, they could see auras… maybe they could see ghosts. I asked and they both nodded because their mouths were too full to answer properly.

After breakfast we took the truck to Bill's house. It was still as eerie as ever, but now the gardens in front of it looked beautiful. I'd hired a landscaper friend of Jason's to come every other week and keep everything tidy. He'd done a great job. Too bad it was wasted on the house. I'd also hired a crew to paint the outside, and they had done an excellent job of whitewashing it. It still looked like a creepy house with a new coat of paint. I wondered why I felt that way, I mean, besides what I'd found inside it and the shifter that had tried to kill us.

Glad, Diantha and I stood in front of the house taking it all in. The girls said they would check for ghosts, and by golly that was exactly what they did. We visited every room as I made sure that the new windows were sealed good and locked, dusting a few things here and there, and a couple of other small things. The lady I'd hired to clean the house every month had done a great job, and since nothing was getting dirty, she'd managed to find the time to polish the wood surfaces. She hadn't said anything about ghosts or feeling creepy inside the house, but I caught motion out of the corner of my eye and realized that Diantha was moving very fast towards the second floor.

Glad and I followed slower than her. Glad was staying by my side because one of the girls always did unless Eric or Pam was with me. Besides, I couldn't have moved as fast as Diantha anyway, and the baby made it a little difficult to breathe lately so I had to take it slow up the stairs.

"Whatchafind?" Glad asked as we caught up with Diantha. They were both looking wide-eyed at the end of a hall.

"IfindSookiewas right…" Diantha breathed out and I felt scared and excited all at the same time. She took my hand and somehow I was able to see what they were seeing.

There, at the end of the hall, was a person. It was a woman, and she didn't appear to see us or even aware that we were there. She was dressed plainly in turn of the twentieth century clothes, and she was older, in her seventies was my guess. It was uncanny how the demon sisters saw the ghost. It looked as tangible and "there" as a real person.

"What is she doing?" I asked in a whisper, but the ghost didn't hear me.

"She'snotatrue ghost, she'slikearecording," Glad explained and I turned to look at her confused. She slowed down her speech for me. "Thatghost is a residual haunting. Shedon't seeus and won't interact with us. 'Slike watchingamovie."

I understood. I'd watched some ghost shows, enough to know what Glad was saying. I was still very curious. "I wonder who she is…" I said with a lilt in my voice, like a question but not.

"Relatedta' Bill, no doubt," Diantha said.

We watched in silence for a long time, following the woman here and there. She was interacting with objects that were no longer there. I felt vindicated, and couldn't wait to tell Eric that I was right… or at least half right. That ghost was not out to scare us out of the house. She was, like the sisters said, a movie. At one point it flickered and the image died, so I resumed my inspection of the house. I was happy that the girls were able to show me the ghost. I felt better knowing what kind of ghost it had been and that there was nothing to fear.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How do I look?" asked Jason. He was wearing a button up light gray shirt and a dark gray tie with black slacks. It all looked brand new and carefully pressed. I had no doubt in my mind that Michele was responsible for the ensemble.

"Handsome," I answered sincerely. My brother was certainly gifted in the looks department. We were all sitting around my kitchen table, waiting for Eric who had just woken up and was taking a quick shower. In a few minutes my fairy family would arrive and hopefully we would have a small reunion. I had told Jason some parts of it.

I'd explained that my telepathy and his ability to attract the females so easily had to do with the fact that we had a little bit of supernatural blood in us. He had nodded and understood, mostly because my telepathy wasn't a normal thing. Then I tried to explain that we were not Grandpa Stackhouse's grandchildren, but I hinted at the fact that he had still loved dad and Aunt Linda very much. I wasn't sure exactly how it had all happened, and if Grandpa knew that they weren't his children. All I knew was that I was right and that Grandpa had truly loved his family, because I had read that in his mind when I'd been a little girl. He'd been a good man.

Jason seemed to understand, and he also knew that we were about to meet with our extraordinary side of the family. I hadn't tried to sugarcoat it. I'd tried to introduce him to the shocking news little by little. I'd been introduced to the fact that I was a princess during a time when knowing that information was necessary. Jason would know that he was a prince, and he didn't really need to know that. But he needed to be part of his family, and his family had to make him a part of it. No matter what our greedy great-grandfather had asked from Queen Sophie-Anne to solve the problem with me, he still helped when I needed help. I could be pragmatic.

Eric emerged from his shower looking good enough to eat, and even Idony seemed to know that her Daddy was nearby because she woke up and kicked me. I leaned back in my chair and stretched my shirt over my belly, and all five of us proceeded to watch her run around, making my tummy stretch and bulge in places. Jason reached out and put his hand on me, filling me with thoughts of him holding his baby niece. He imagined her blonde and blue-eyed, but looking more like me than Eric. I smiled and looked up at my husband, who was watching our exchange with a sort of… prideful peace, I wanted to say. He moved to get the door and that was our cue to go to the living room.

Jason carried the tray with the two pitchers of peach iced tea and glasses, and I carried the tray with the cupcakes I'd made. They didn't exactly go with tea, but fairies didn't care about that, as long as the offerings were sweet and delicious. Glad and Diantha had already declared everything delicious, so I was confident that they would be well received.

Niall entered first, nodding at Eric and looking like he was going to a board meeting in a dark blue suit. His blond-almost-white hair was brushed back completely, and he was carrying his staff. I'd left my shields down to gauge Jason's reaction, and he was taking it all in slowly, not really passing judgment yet. The little bit of preparing we'd done had helped him a lot.

Next came Fintan, our grandfather, and right beside him was our great-uncle Dermot, both wearing outfits similar to Jason's. I'd seldom seen Dermot, but there was no confusing him. He looked exactly like Jason, maybe a few years older. Even Jason was taken aback. He didn't say anything out loud, but I could see it was costing him not to say one of his usual "well, I'll be damned." I smiled wider and he seemed to read my mind. He elbowed me jokingly, knowing I was reading _his_ mind.

The last one through the door was Claudine, who made a bee line for me and hugged me. She also hugged Jason for good measure, since they'd already met. I suspected she was doing this to calm both of us down, more Jason than me.

"Welcome," Eric said, then started making the introductions. He was the master of his house. I let him, even when my own instincts told me to take over this meeting. I had to remind myself that there is nothing wrong with letting a man take ownership of his family and his home. Besides, Eric needed to be in control. He felt proud of me, and even of Jason. We belonged to him. The way he thought of us… we were of the Northman clan. That's the best way I could describe it.

Everyone took their seats and Glad and Diantha excused themselves. Fintan sat near Jason. He was in charge of explaining everything. I sat on an armchair, and Eric sat on one of the arms, making sure to keep constant contact with some part of me. Niall preferred the armchair closest to the fireplace, across from me and Eric. He was eyeing us and smiling. I think that was the first time he saw me pregnant. Dermot remained standing close to his father.

Claudine did me the favor of distributing the drinks and the food, knowing it was getting uncomfortable for me to lean forward. We spoke a little bit about not much at all (the hot weather, the tornadoes further north and how horrible they were, whether or not Louisiana would be in line to get hit with another hurricane this year, et cetera).

When the cupcakes were eaten, and most of the tea was gone, it was Fintan's turn to speak. Jason listened carefully to everything Fintan was saying. He explained it to Jason just like he'd explained it to me: our grandmother was beautiful, young like me, and he'd been instantly smitten. She wanted children very bad. Thankfully (again) he didn't go into any more detail than that. Jason nodded slowly, trying to take it all in. He wasn't having as hard a time about it as I thought.

"So I'm a fairy?" Jason asked.

"You are only part fairy, one eighth to be exact," Fintan corrected, "just like Sookie."

"Is that why Sookie can read minds?" I knew the question had been bugging Jason. He didn't want to read minds and didn't envy my power. He was acting like the overprotective brother. His question was charged with "how could you do that to Sookie?" and a hint of "it's not fair." I couldn't have agreed more, but I already knew the answer to all those questions: genetics. Pure and simple and screwed up.

"Yes, that's how come she can read minds," Fintan answered and shot me an indulgent look. He knew my plight well.

Then I remembered something. "So how come I can sense vampires and y'all can't?" I asked Fintan, but I would accept anybody's answer.

"That was my doing, I'm afraid," Fintan answered and made a face of apology. "Your sponsor gifted you with that ability. He thought it would come in handy when we realized you were telepathic."

"My sponsor?"

"Your godfather, if you will," Fintan explained, then decided to elaborate. "The sponsor of all my descendants, a good friend of mine, and a demon. I think you know him," he said, pointing in the general direction of the kitchen, where Glad and Diantha were sitting patiently.

"Mr. Cataliades is your friend?" Eric asked, though I had understood that too.

"Yes, Desmond and I go way back," Fintan said and smiled.

"So why did he ask me for proof that I was related to Prince Niall when I told him?" I asked, remembering that night at our hotel in New Orleans when he came to visit with Andre.

I should have known that Fintan would pick up on my thoughts. "Perhaps he was trying to keep up appearances for that other vampire that was present. It is best if nobody knows that Desmond is your sponsor," he warned.

"Oh, jeez!" I said and leaned back in my chair. Eric squeezed my shoulder in solidarity. He thought it was screwed up too. There was a lot of that tonight.

"I can't say that I approve of giving Sookie the extra burden," Niall piped up, "but I can understand why you did it." Well, well, well… whatdayaknow? Niall hadn't known about what Fintan had done.

Jason was following the conversation and taking it all in. He was formulating some really good questions, like the ones I had about Idony. "Will my children be telepaths?" he asked suddenly.

"There's a possibility," Fintan said, and I knew he was being cryptic. Then I remembered he was supposed to look into Hadley's son, Hunter.

I felt my stomach do a quick flip-flop. "Is Hunter a telepath?" I asked, but I could barely make the words come out.

Fintan looked at Niall, then at Jason, then at me. "Yes."

**TBC**

**A/N: Okay, so some fluff and some important info… like the way I switched things around SO THEY WOULD MAKE SENSE. Honestly, why wouldn't the fairies be telepaths? I'd changed that part of the story a long time ago. It's more fun that way anyway. :-)**


	63. All in the Family

**A/N: **This past week was my last week at work and I spent a very busy one training my replacement. I didn't even get to sit in peace with my computer until late Saturday, which is why the update for AAD is so late. My sincerest and deepest apologies. I hope y'all can forgive me. On the bright side, it'll never happen again because I don't plan on leaving my current job anytime soon. :-)

* * *

**Chapter 63 – All in the Family**

_I felt my stomach do a quick flip-flop. "Is Hunter a telepath?" I asked, but I could barely make the words come out._

_Fintan looked at Niall, then at Jason, then at me. "Yes."_

I looked at Eric and he took my hand and squeezed it, feeling my sudden fear too.

"Who's Hunter?" asked Jason. I'd never filled him in about Hadley's son, so I did right then and there. Jason understood perfectly why I was fearful, and the more I told him, the more serious he got. "We have to help them, somehow," Jason said with a sure voice.

I turned to Fintan. "So how are you helping him?" I asked, wanting to know everything. Mostly I wanted to make sure somebody was watching over Hunter.

Fintan made a face. "I haven't introduced myself to his father yet," he said.

I knew very well that the fairies would be able to hear everything that went through my mind at that moment, but it wasn't enough for them to hear my mind. It had to come out of my mouth. "What the hell, Fintan? ! How do you know someone hasn't kidnapped him by now? How is that boy's father supposed to understand that he's a special boy? How do you know that he's not going to just give Hunter up when he decides he can't take care of him, or won't put up with his child reading his mind? You've really fucked up Fintan!" I cursed, and I rarely curse out loud. "The moment you found out that Hunter was special…"

"That's enough!" boomed Niall from his side of the living room. I stopped my rant feeling tears starting to roll down my cheeks. Eric quickly handed me his hanky. I could feel how mad he was too, which was probably why he was keeping his mouth shut. He was capable of ripping somebody a new one way better than me, but he knew it would upset me or Claudine, who already looked as upset as me.

"Hey! Things would have been better for Sookie if Fintan had been there from the beginning. She has a point!" Jason said, getting animated. "And who's making sure that no supes are after Hunter?" He was as mad as me but showing better restraint with his words. My darn hormones!

I excused myself and Claudine followed me to the kitchen, rubbing my back in a soothing motion as I gulped a glass of water. Glad and Diantha were trying to comfort me too, but none of the three were saying much. They all agreed with me and knew of my fear that Idony would turn out like me. I could hear the men talking in the living room, but didn't want to be part of it anymore. If Fintan wasn't going to help with Hunter, then I would do it myself. Besides, I needed to talk to Remy Savoy, Hunter's dad, about Hadley's estate. She had left me everything she had owned, and Queen Sophie-Anne had not accepted the jewelry back. I had put everything aside carefully, paid the taxes on the inheritance using my own money, and hoped that one day I could pass Hadley's estate to Hunter. No time like the present.

Claudine was nodding her head at my internal rambling. "I'll go with you. We'll help," she said in a quiet voice.

"Thank you," I said, feeling slightly better. I knew if Claudine said she would help, then she would keep her word. "Can't you be Hunter's guardian instead of mine?"

Claudine smiled indulgently. "I'm sorry, it doesn't work that way. Besides, Hunter has his own."

"Does he really? So nobody is going to come after him to steal him for his telepathy?" I asked just to make sure I'd heard correctly.

"Nobody came after you while you were a child either, right?" Claudine answered a question with a question, but I took it as the answer. I was curious to know who had watched over me when I was a little girl, but I would ask another day. Right now Hunter was my priority until Idony was born.

"How about his dad? Won't he feel that Hunter is too much of a burden?" I asked, trying to think of every problem that could arise from having a special child.

"I don't know, Sookie. That's why I think it's a good idea to go pay them a visit and make sure everything is okay over there, and see if they need any help." Even though Claudine didn't have all the answers, knowing that she was thinking the same things as me calmed me down.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Glad and Diantha took the day off while Claudine and I drove to see Remy Savoy at the address that Claudine had plucked from Fintan's head. It was a Saturday before noon, so we both hoped the man didn't work weekends. We arrived at a small house in a low middle class neighborhood in the outskirts of Monroe. All the houses had neat small lawns, and many sported the accoutrements that pegged them as family homes: bikes in the driveways, balls, kids running on the sidewalks, toys left out in the yards overnight, that sort of thing. The house that belonged to Remy Savoy looked exactly like the others, with the exception of a small dog running around the backyard. It announced that we were walking to the house by barking its little head off.

The man that answered the doorbell was good-looking, thirty-something, and looked every bit the "dad." Immediately I felt better. Even his thoughts circled around his son. Apparently they'd been getting ready to go to the market and he'd been making mental grocery lists of things Hunter would need for lunch. I smiled, and so did he. When Claudine read the same things, she smiled too. Then Remy started thinking about the two beautiful women at his door, and hoping we weren't there to "spread the word," or some such nonsense.

"Mr. Savoy, I'm Claudine Crane, and this is my cousin Sookie Northman. We are Hadley's relatives," Claudine said, sticking out her hand. Immediately I was happy she'd come along. She was using her usual fairy charm to put him at ease, because this would be a very difficult discussion.

Remy shook Claudine's hand, then mine with a confused look in his face. "I haven't seen Hadley in many years. I may not be of any help if you're looking for her."

"Um… no, actually. We know where she is, and that's why we stopped by. Do you have a few minutes?" I asked. I'd brought all the information I would need to transfer Hadley's funds, if Remy would accept them.

_Who are the pretty ladies? Are they Daddy's friends? They don't look like they know him. Why is that lady's belly so big?_

I had to shut my mind from listening to Hunter's, if only so he wouldn't be able to listen to mine. He was spying on us from the hall that led to the bedrooms.

"We have some bad news to tell you. Maybe Hunter shouldn't be listening," Claudine said in a very hushed voice.

Remy seemed taken aback by the fact we knew about Hunter, but understood that this was not the best time for Hunter to be around. He motioned for us to sit down in his small living room and then walked away after saying a quick "excuse me." He told Hunter to go out and play with his doggie, and we were left alone. Remy sat down, looking at us a little scared and a little curious.

"What happened to Hadley?" he asked when we weren't exactly forthcoming with information.

"She… was…" I started, but I didn't even know where to begin.

"She asked to be turned into a vampire, but shortly after she met her final death," Claudine said, ripping off the Band-Aid on Remy's heart.

He looked down at his hands on his knees for a moment then looked up at us. "I can't say that I'm surprised she's… gone. I think I was able to get the best months out of her, but she started using again when she was still pregnant with Hunter. He was very sick for a very long time," he said in almost a whisper, as if remembering how sick Hunter had been was a stab to the heart. I'm sure it was.

Meanwhile I was trying to think what it was that my cousin had used or abused when Hunter was still in her womb. How could she do that to her baby? And then I had a new fear, because I was – technically – using Eric's blood while pregnant. What did that make me? I tried to refocus on the matter at hand.

"I was scared you were going to tell me that Hadley wanted to either see Hunter or get custody or something," Remy continued. "I have to be honest that the news takes a huge worry away. She owed me thousands of dollars in child support, but I never filed for it because I didn't want to see her again. Do you understand?" The question was directed at both of us.

"I understand," I said, almost choking. My emotions were getting the better of me. "Remy… Hadley left her whole estate to me, and I've set it aside thinking that it actually belongs to you, not me."

"I don't want it," he said, sounding kind of childish if you ask me.

Claudine winced. Remy's words hurt her more than me, maybe because she was listening to his mind and I was not. "Remy, we understand that you may not want it, but it's fair to at least set it aside for Hunter. It doesn't belong to Sookie. How's Hunter doing nowadays?"

Remy was hesitant to answer. I let my shields drop and could hear perfectly well all the things that made Remy apprehensive to answer Claudine's question. Instead of waiting for his answer, Claudine took the bull by the horns.

"We can help you with that, if you want. We're the same as he," she said, and Remy understood immediately. His relief was almost palpable. I could tell he'd been searching for answers for a long time, and he had also been very worried for his son. He was willing to accept any and all offers to help. My heart broke for the struggle he'd been made to bear, but he had handled it. Of all the things Hadley had done, choosing Remy as the father of her child had been the smartest.

"I'm afraid of what he will be like in school. Right now my aunt is taking care of him while I work, and she doesn't mind him at all. She loves him and turns a blind eye to what he can do. But in school it will be…"

"It could be horrible," I interrupted, knowing well from experience exactly how horrible it could be. "But we won't let that happen. That's why we're here."

Hunter ran in then, letting the muddy doggie follow him. He was still wondering who we were and why my belly was so big. Evidently he'd never seen a pregnant woman before. He caught it right off my brain before I had a chance to shield.

"You have a baby in there!" Hunter shouted, and he looked excited about it. He came running to me and stood right in front of me, trying to figure it out. I let down my shields slowly, like Claudine had taught me, to listen to him without letting him hear me. He was wondering if I'd swallowed the baby, or if someone had put him in there. I figured it was time to give him a little crash course without getting into specifics. I'd done something similar with Arlene's kids.

"This baby is a girl and her name is Idony," I said patting my belly gently. "She's still too little to come out of my belly, so I'm just waiting until she's ready, and then when she comes out I will be her mommy." There. I figured that would explain it nicely.

Hunter turned to Claudine. "Is that what's happening to your baby too?"

I turned to Claudine and she looked at me apologetically. Apparently Hunter had been able to read her mind to find out that my fairy godmother was pregnant too. Claudine lowered her own mental shields to let me listen in. _I'm sorry, Sookie, that I didn't tell you earlier, but I've already lost too many pregnancies and I didn't want to get too excited about this one. You have too many things on your plate to add my worries to yours._ For the umpteenth time that day I felt tears prickle my eyes and I gave her a half hug.

Hunter had heard the whole exchange. _Don't cry, don't cry_, I heard him say mentally. I hadn't shed a tear yet, but he'd read that off my mind too. And here I thought I'd been shielding from him.

"He can hear us no matter what. He's very strong," Claudine said, smiling at Hunter and touching his cheek.

I looked up at Remy who was watching the exchange with a sort of wonder. He had been holding on to the dirty dog letting it get his shirt dirty too, but unable to tear his eyes away from us. Eventually he took the dog outside and rejoined us in the living room. We came up with a plan to help Hunter. It would take someone who had more time on his hands to teach Hunter to use his gift correctly. We told Remy about Fintan, and I said he was our uncle, because Fintan looked too young to be my grandfather. Niall had finally solved everything by telling Claudine and I to go ahead and visit and introduce ourselves, and then Fintan would take care of Hunter from then on. Hunter was Fintan's family, after all. The poor child had been born special because of Fintan, not because of anything Claudine or I had done. So it was Fintan's responsibility to help Hunter, as well as Remy, harnessing the telepathy and keeping them safe. Remy also accepted Hadley's money, which I'd put into a trust for Hunter, together with the information about the safe deposit box containing the jewels. It wasn't gobs of money, just a small nest egg that could be saved for college or used as needed.

I was feeling infinitely better when Claudine dropped me off at the house in Bon Temps. I met with Glad and Diantha, and we drove the rest of the way to Shreveport. We made it home a few minutes after dusk, and I was actually excited to see Eric and tell him everything we had accomplished that day. I was half expecting him to be in the shower when I got to our bedroom, but he wasn't there. I felt around with my extra sense, and found two vampire brains in the basement. That was odd.

"Honey?" I called as I made my way to the basement. I found the inner door closed and locked. We almost never locked it. It was meant for a vampire to spend the day there if needed, but we had guest rooms upstairs that would serve the same purpose. Besides, Eric was in there. I knocked and felt fear cascading through the bond. I know I've said this before: Eric never felt fear, unless it was something that threatened my safety.

My heart picked up its rhythm as I made a split second decision to get my bodyguards. I ran up the stairs, hoping I wouldn't trip, and somehow Glad and Diantha had already guessed my distress because they were waiting right there at the top of the stairs.

"Someone is in there with Eric, and it's not good," I said in a hushed voice.

Immediately Glad and Diantha took up their positions in front of me. "Show yourself!" Glad yelled down the stairs.

Another holey brain came into my consciousness, as if another vampire had just woken up. _What the hell? ! _ "Now there are three," I told the sisters, though I was kind of sure they could see auras through doors, and vampires had blue auras.

The door opened and I could see it was Eric. He put his hands up to Glad and Diantha. "We are safe, but please wait for me in the den," he said. He tried to send me something through the bond, some calming vibes maybe, but all I got was a piercing pain right above my eye, like someone had stabbed me in my skull.

I cried out in pain, which made Diantha come get me, and made Glad unsheathe her sword from thin air. I felt another pain, like someone had stabbed me on the top of my head, and I felt as if I would faint. I spared a sliver of thought to hoping that Diantha was holding me so I wouldn't fall with the baby. Suddenly it was gone. I still felt like my head was throbbing painfully, but the piercing pain had gone away. I also noticed that I could barely feel Eric through our bond.

"Eric?" I managed to squeak out. Diantha was indeed holding me up. I couldn't see Eric from where I was standing, but I desperately wanted to make sure he was okay.

"I'm here, Sookie. Please wait for me in the den," Eric said, still at the bottom of the stairs. I'd like to say that his voice gave me comfort, but it didn't. It sounded strained, and without the bond I wasn't sure what to make of that.

Diantha walked with me to the den and helped me to one of the couches, the one facing the main entrance to the room. "Do yaneedwater orsomething?" she asked me.

"No, stay with me," I said in a very soft voice, straining my ears to try to pick up on whatever was going on in the basement. The pounding of my heart inside my ears was making it difficult to even hear myself speak. "Can either of you hear what's going on?"

"Theres'away," Glad answered and put her ear to the rug on the floor. She kept moving about the floor until she found a good enough spot. She listened for about five minutes and then moved quickly to my side. "It's Eric'smakerand anotherchild."

I felt my heart plummet to the floor. I knew one day Eric's maker would come. I just hadn't been expecting the day to come so soon. Moreover, why was Eric feeling fear? Obviously what he had told me about his maker hadn't been entirely true. I followed the blank spots that were their minds as they made their way up the stairs and into the den. Glad and Diantha were sitting at either side of me, but at the edge of their seats. They were ready for anything.

"Introduce us, Eric," a man said. He was what I would call easily forgettable. I'd expected to see him wearing some sort of Roman costume, but he was nicely dressed in a pair of dark dress pants and white button down shirt. His hair was cropped short, and I couldn't deny that he was handsome, but not spectacular like Eric.

I moved my eyes back to my husband, who looked pale even for him. "Appius this is my wife Sookie Northman, and her bodyguards Gladiola and Diantha Cataliades. Sookie, Glad, Diantha, this is my maker Appius Livius Ocella. You may call him Ocella." Did Eric swallow? It looked like he had. I still couldn't read him for the life of me. I was so confused that I forgot to say how pleased I was to meet Ocella. Or maybe I forgot on purpose.

"You forgot one other," Ocella pointed out, bringing a little boy forward from behind him. If he was a day past eleven I was Marie Antoinette.

"Sookie this is Alexei, Ocella's child," Eric said. He could see I found it disgusting. One thing was to turn Eric, who was a grown man. Another was to turn a child. I'd always felt bad for Godric, but now I knew it could be so much worse.

"Your wife is with child, Eric? That is wonderful news! My little Eric, sending little Vikings out into the world! How did it happen? You must tell me all the details," Ocella said and sat down, bidding Alexei to sit on his lap. I looked away at my hands to hide my revulsion.

"It was artificial insemination, Master," Eric said, not moving from his spot.

"Sit! Sit with her! Let us give your wife the good news," Ocella gushed. Eric walked to me but did so extremely slowly, as if mired in mud. He looked like a man who had been immobilized by fear, but I had no freakin' way of figuring out if that was it, or if he was in pain of some sort.

Diantha made room for Eric to sit next to me. The moment he did he held me tight. Whatever was coming would be bad. I hunkered down to wait for it.

"Ocella has been in negotiations with Queen Sophie Anne for me to become King of Nevada once she takes over the state," Eric said, and seemed to swallow again.

Okay. I wasn't born yesterday, and even though I was fairly new to vampire politics, I knew the new king or queen took on the title only by killing the former monarch. That was a given. "So you will have to kill the King of Nevada?" I asked just to make sure I hadn't missed anything. When he nodded it was my turn to swallow the bile that had risen into my throat.

"Ocella and Sophie-Anne have already signed the agreement. We are leaving tomorrow for Las Vegas," Eric said, and I felt the world tilt on its side. "I need you to take care of Raven's Den," he tried to level me with a gaze. He was saying more with that look than with words. He was saying goodbye.

**TBC**

**A/N: Don't forget to mark your calendars: June 28 at 8pm GMT (which I've been assured is 4pm Eastern, a.k.a. my time), I'll be joining the Fangreaders for a chat about AAD. If you'd like to join us please go to Fangreaders(dot)BlogSpot(dot)com and let them know you want to be a Fangreader too. I love their community, and the girls who keep the site running are the sweetest, kindest, most amazing ladies ever! *mwah!***


	64. One Last Time

**A/N: **BlackDeadOrchids went crazy loving my fic "The World is a Vampire" and made me FIVE banners. I'm not kidding. Please take some time to go to my profile and clicking through them. You're all guaranteed to love them even if you don't read that fic. Don't take my word for it: go check them out! And then come back! And then go look at them again!

Oh, and this chapter is from Eric's POV.

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**Chapter 64 – One Last Time**

When my maker arrived so unexpectedly that early morning, I had no choice but to let him stay for the day. Sookie had been asleep and I had felt Appius' presence right outside the main door to our home. He had done the unthinkable, and had brought the unthinkable with him. He had turned one of the Romanov children, Alexei, the sick one, and had kept him all these years. The length of time should not have surprised me. He hadn't tired of me for a whole century. But Alexei was merely a child, and his poor constitution made him seem younger than the thirteen years of age he had when he was turned. I had heard the rumors of what Appius had done, but I had dismissed them, only to be confronted by them at my front door.

I had shown Appius and Alexei to the basement, claiming the only room that was light tight upstairs was mine and my wife's, who was already sleeping. Appius was from the old school anyway. He would not have liked to spend his night in an upstairs bedroom. I rejoined Sookie feeling an awful dread. Appius had refused to go into the details for his visit, but I knew no good could come of it. I felt Sookie stir in her sleep, so I closed the bond as best I could, to afford her some peaceful rest.

Thankfully Sookie had not arrived back from her endeavors with her cousin when I awoke for the night. I immediately made my way to my maker. I needed to know the purpose for his visit. Appius was already awake and was investigating the contents of our dryer, which apparently consisted of some forgotten undergarments that did not belong to my wife. They were probably Glad's or Diantha's.

"Good evening, Master," I said and tried a smile I didn't feel.

"Eric, my child," Appius walked to me with his arms open. I knew I had to embrace him or he would make me. I'd rather he wouldn't make me. He hugged me and then smelled my neck, planting a soft kiss that made me remember all our nights together. It wasn't exactly pleasant, but I did feel a bit of nostalgia at having my maker near. It didn't last long.

"Please, tell me, what brings you here?" I asked, already hearing a car in our driveway. Sookie was home.

"I am to be married to your Queen! Isn't that wonderful?" Appius said and I was rightfully surprised.

"That is quite wonderful. How did this come about?" I asked, smelling a rat. Sookie always said she smelled rats wherever vampire dealings were concerned. I hadn't quite gotten her meaning until now.

"Your Queen had a dilemma: that oaf Felipe De Castro in Nevada has been messing around, sticking his nose in the Queen's business, sending his lackeys to harm your blood bonded, so she called me to assist. You are the best fighter I know. You're going to Vegas tomorrow, take out De Castro for her, become King of Nevada, and in return I get to marry a Queen. Delightful, really!"

"I do not wish to become king of anything," I said, already feeling his influence upon me. This was not open for negotiation.

"It's not a matter of not wishing it to be, my darling. You will be King of Nevada and make your Master and Mistress proud," he said. A smile played on his lips as he watched me balk at his statement. So many things could go wrong, and I could be killed. Had I been alone I would have gone without a blink. But I wasn't alone. I had a family and they needed me. I needed them. I called to Pam immediately, feeling as if my head was about to explode and thanking my goddess I'd had the wherewithal to close my bond with Sookie as soon as Appius appeared. The pain was excruciating as I began to defy my master's order, trying in vain to lift it or otherwise cancel it.

"Honey?" I heard Sookie call as she made her way downstairs. She tried the door but I had locked it. I heard her run upstairs and tell Glad and Diantha that whoever was down here was not good.

"Show yourself!" Glad shouted. I had to go and calm them, or I bet Diantha would have burned us all to a crisp trying to protect Sookie.

As soon as Glad shouted Alexei awoke looking perturbed. Appius was by his side immediately, calming him, even though there was no real threat. The boy looked scared out of his mind and was shaking uncontrollably. _What the hell?_

I opened the door to show myself to Glad and Diantha. I told them we were fine and to please wait for me in the den, hoping I could make heads or tails of what was happening before I had to speak to Sookie. She would not take the news calmly, and at any rate, neither had I.

I saw Sookie's worried face and I tried to open the bond a little bit to send her some calm, but instead I sent the searing pain I was feeling. Once I'd opened the bond it became extremely difficult to close it again. Again I called to my child. We would need her help, though I wasn't sure in what capacity yet. I just needed her here. Finally and with a lot of effort I closed my bond with Sookie and with Pam. My pain was mine alone again. I did not want them suffering along with me.

Glad's sword appeared in her hand out of thin air, and she was getting ready to use it. I heard Sookie's voice cry out my name, and I had to reassure her with only my voice, and to almost plead for her to go to the den and wait for me there. They finally obeyed and I turned back to my maker and sibling.

"Why do you resist, Eric? It's obvious that it's hurting you," Appius tried to appeal to me.

"My wife needs me. I have a family that needs me. My fiefdom needs its sheriff. I cannot go wage war or stage a coup d'état when I am needed elsewhere. I could meet my final death and then my family would be left alone, and who would take care of my people. I cannot do that to them." Every time I said the word "cannot" I felt another wrenching pang of pain shoot through me. I bit my tongue so I wouldn't cry out in pain, breaking the skin and swallowing my own blood. When that didn't work, I chewed on my cheek.

"I need you," Appius countered. "This deal will give me the rest I need. The Queen promised she would have someone watch Alexei. He needs constant care, Eric. Don't you think you should help your master in this task?"

I shook my head unable to speak. I couldn't stop pushing against his command. I felt like crying or screaming or killing something. That something would be Alexei. I started to make a move towards the boy but Appius saw my intention and stopped me. His eyes were wide with shock that I would think to kill the child.

"He's just a little boy," Appius said, caressing Alexei's face.

"He's almost a century old. He should be able to fend for himself," I said, feeling the pain double.

"Aww… Eric, show some compassion. I didn't throw you out into the world until you were well over a century old. I couldn't treat Alexei any differently."

"I wish you would have let me go much sooner," I said, voicing my opinion on that particular subject for the first time ever. I called to Pam again, unable to ascertain whether she was on her way.

"I will overlook what you just said in deference to the fact that you don't seem to be yourself at this moment. Now, Alexei needs to feed tonight, and I was hoping that a sip from you would settle his frayed nerves," Appius said, walking closer to me with the boy in tow.

Unable to stand any more pain, I decided the best course of action would be to simply give the boy my blood willingly before Appius made me. I offered the boy my wrist but he shook his head. _Fine! Spoiled brat!_ I knelt in front of him and offered him my neck. When Appius couldn't see the boy's expression, Alexei took the opportunity to show his true colors. There was evil in that grin, and when he bit he did so hard, sinking more than his fangs into my skin. He drank greedily and Appius had to stop him. I had no doubt in my mind that the child would have drained me. Appius approached me and sealed the wound so it wouldn't stain my shirt. It was disgusting to see both of them aroused by the whole exchange. I couldn't, not with a child in the room.

"Come, Eric. I want to meet your wife," Appius said, waiting for me to lead the way.

I climbed the stairs slowly. I felt dizzy with pain, something that I hadn't felt since that bitch vampire got me with her nails in front of Sookie's house. Back then I passed out from blood loss and pain. I couldn't do that now. Sookie had healed me that night. I couldn't take that much blood from her anymore, not when she needed it for our baby. _Goddess Freyja, please! Hear your humble servant!_

Appius made me make the introductions and then I had to tell Sookie that I was going to leave her, and that she had to be in charge of our affairs. I said it all in just a few sentences, but she understood everything perfectly, judging by the sudden fear that barreled into me, even with the bond closed off.

At the same time that Sookie started shaking her head like she would not allow it, Pam burst into the house, making absolutely no noise. She hadn't even parked her car near the house. One moment she wasn't there, the next she was there and baring her fangs at Appius and Alexei.

"Pam, meet my maker Appius and his child Alexei. Appius this is my child Pamela Ravenscroft," I said, damning the rules of etiquette. Pam was more important to me than Appius anyway. So was Sookie and so were the sisters, for that matter, but I was already too far gone into the pain to mind my manners anymore. _Damn Appius to hell!_

Just as I thought that, I started feeling like my body wasn't my own. I knew I'd been waiting for Pam to arrive to succumb. She would keep Sookie safe. I knew I was seizing. I was shaking uncontrollably and couldn't control my movements. I could feel Sookie's arms around me, trying to keep me from falling on the floor. And then she did something that showed me just how pissed off my smart girl really was.

"Ocella and Alexei: get out of my house," she said in a low voice, cold as ice and with so much venom that she sounded like a snake. I smiled as I slipped into oblivion.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"That's it, just a little more," Pam whispered.

"I could have given him some too, you know," I heard Sookie say. She didn't sound mad or put out. She sounded scared.

"No, ma'am. He could have taken too much and right now you need every drop. Let me do this. I can replenish easier than you can, and certainly easier than him," Pam said. I guessed they were talking about me.

"Are they still out there?" Sookie asked, and I wondered who she was talking about.

"No, theyleftafter I talkedto'em. I told'emhow taget to Raven's Den," Diantha said.

I stopped drinking the blood that had been seeping into my mouth, finally realizing that it was Pam's. I hadn't had her blood in a very long time. I was immediately thankful that she'd answered my call so quickly. I also noticed that the pain I'd felt from trying to defy my maker's command had subsided significantly. Obviously I had made up my mind to follow through and kill Felipe De Castro. He deserved to meet a stake wielded by my hand, of that I had no doubt. But to go after him was a suicidal mission if not carried out properly. I needed time to plan. Tomorrow was too soon.

"Uncle is coming," I heard Glad said. I knew I was a little out of it still, because I couldn't for the life of me figure out why Mr. Cataliades would be on his way here. Glad came into my line of vision. I was still in the den, lying on the sofa. Sookie was sitting on the floor holding my hand, Pam was by my head, and now Glad was towering above me, making sure I was paying attention. She even slowed her speech. "He wantsus at Raven's Den by eleven," she said and handed me a True Blood.

Pam pushed me up to sit, and Sookie ended up between my legs, holding on to one of them and putting her head on my thigh. I caressed her hair. When would I stop hurting her? I wasn't sure why I was taking on the blame for this, but it was obvious that if she was married to a regular man she wouldn't be going through this heartache.

"Is the Queen coming with him?" I asked, trying to figure out why we were being summoned. Probably to talk strategy.

"I think so. Not sure," Glad answered, again talking slowly for her.

I looked down again at Sookie. She looked defeated, and I had to admit I felt the same way. I gulped the True Blood quickly so I could take her hands and lead her to our bedroom. If this would be our last night together, then I would make love to my wife one last time. I would say my prayers for her and for my daughter one last time. I would ask for her forgiveness one last time. I would cry with her one last time.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Raven's Den was busy, and thankfully Maxwell Lee was running things. We'd made him one of the managers with great success. The other manager was Thalia, who had not mellowed with age but at least knew when to make the right decisions. The DJ was spinning Marilyn Manson's "You and Me and the Devil Makes 3," which was appropriate, I thought.

"Eric," Maxwell pointed towards the back. "They're all waiting in the conference room. The Queen's lawyer told me we were expecting a VIP to arrive any moment."

I thanked the man and we all headed to the small conference room that Sookie suggested we should have. It had begun as a larger office for me, but I saw the wisdom of her suggestion. What would I do without her?

We reached the conference room and I was surprised to see the attendees. Queen Sophie Anne was there with Andre-the-shadow standing behind her. Appius was seated to her right, and Alexei was standing behind him. Niall was there, looking up with a raised eyebrow. He had one of his children standing behind him, but I didn't know his name. I believe it was the triplets' father. Fintan was seated to Niall's left, and Mr. Cataliades had taken the bottom of the table, leaving chairs open for Sookie and me at either side of the table. I made sure Sookie sat next to her grandfather, and I took my seat next to Appius. The head of the table was empty.

"Are we expecting more company?" I asked. I know Maxwell had already said we were, but I was wondering who else was coming and was hoping one of these people would enlighten me.

"Yes we are, Sheriff," Mr. Cataliades answered. He looked up at Niall. "Prince Niall, I thank you for coming on such short notice and bringing Sookie's family. This affects her too, since she has been the target of the King of Nevada for a while now. As you can understand I could not let that happen, so I sent my nieces to guard her safety."

Niall nodded politely, acknowledging and probably thanking Mr. Cataliades. We heard a knock on the back door and Pam went to get it. When she returned her face was not in her usual stoic expression. She was in shock.

Mr. Cataliades turned to us. "Please rise for the Ancient Pythoness."

**TBC**

**A/N: Y'all know you love it! Admit it! *****runs away cackling***

**Don't y'all forget to come join me for the Fangreaders chat on June 28 at 8pm GMT (4pm Eastern) so you can tell me how much you love all these cliffies I'm sending your way. To ask for a password for the chatroom, please visit them at Fangreaders(dot)blogspot(dot)com and tell them you wanna be a Fandreader too. Yay!**


	65. They Say that Hell's Not Hot

**A/N: **Shameless plugs… I have a new blog and I would like you all to go visit. In it I'll post back-ups for AAD, WiaV, Good Fences, plus some original work, as well as actual posts of interesting things, contests and chats. If you subscribe to it, you will never miss an update for any of my stories if FF is acting up… as well as updates on all the other cool stuff that I just mentioned. You can go to my profile and click on "webpage" or you can copy and paste (delete the extra spaces): **http: / rebelina11 . wordpress . com**

You can also follow me on **Twitter (at) rebelina11**.

And don't forget that we're having a chat on June 28 at 4pm EST (8pm GMT) about this fic (and anything else you'd like to talk about). To get your sign-on go to **Fangreaders(dot)blogspot(dot)com** and tell them you want to be a Fangreader. I'm the newest member of their hosting team and I'll be hosting a chat on July 1 for authors to "Pimp their Fics." Readers are welcome, of course. On Sunday, July 3 I'll be hosting "Skarsporn." You know you wanna… ;-)

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**Chapter 65 – They Say that Hell's Not Hot**

Eric gulped his True Blood quickly, and I felt his despair as well as mine. He'd made up his mind to do what his maker had commanded. I didn't blame him. Seeing him in so much pain had been horrible, and I knew exactly how much pain he'd been in. I felt him shift under me. He grabbed my hands and helped me to get up from my place on the floor in front of him.

He led us to our bedroom without a word, and began taking off my clothes in silence. There was no lust coming from him, only love. I helped him take off his clothes too, needing to feel close to him. Our bodies became a means to show each other how much we loved the other, nothing more. Yes, his body was beautiful. Yes, he caressed me in all the right places. He lay down and I straddled him, making love to him slowly, kissing him everywhere. This could be our last night together, and the realization made me cry even as my body took pleasure from his.

My tears ran copiously. I offered them to him and he licked every single one. When I opened my eyes I found he was crying too, bloody tears staining his face and hair as they ran down. I bent over him and licked his tears too, stifling the sobs that wanted to wrack my body. He couldn't stifle his. He sobbed and held me tight against him, moving his hips under me so we could both have a little bit of physical pleasure. Our coming together was bittersweet.

We moved to the bathroom and bathed together. We had time, so we took it. I washed the blood off his hair and he made sure my whole body was resplendent. He murmured his prayers as he soaped my large belly, and again as he washed my face: Idony and me, the two loves of his long life.

Later, before we left to go to Raven's Den, he took Pam and hugged her tight, murmuring a prayer for her too. She quickly reached in his pocket for a handkerchief and dabbed her bloody eyes. I had to avert mine to keep myself from crying again. Eric kissed her forehead before letting her go. He was saying goodbye to her too.

He brought Glad and Diantha into a group hug. They were part of our family too. The sisters hugged him back, each of them staining his shirt with their own tears. I could barely stand it. Pam saw my distress and was beside me quickly, rubbing my back soothingly. Rather than calm me, her love for Eric and me made me start crying again. She gave me Eric's hanky.

The drive to the club was silent. None of us was in the mood to listen to music or talk about the weather. I was very much aware that I was about to lose the love of my life. Even if he only lived in darkness, Eric was my light. If he succeeded in killing the King of Nevada, he would then become the target. If he didn't succeed… my daughter would never know her father, and I would never know another love as deep as the one he had for me. Idony woke up and I wondered if she was reading my distress. Eric reached over and put his hand on my belly, feeling his daughter moving as she stretched and moved into a more comfortable position.

Inside the club Maxwell told us that everyone was waiting for us in the conference room and that a VIP was due to arrive any moment. I was very surprised to see my family there. Fintan let his guard down to speak to me, mind to mind.

"_Desmond called me and told me everything. That is why we are here_," Fintan explained.

"_How are you going to fix it?"_ I asked mentally, taking the seat next to him and fixing my eyes on Eric, who was looking into the middle distance between us.

Fintan took my hand and showed me several possibilities of what could happen. They got progressively worse. Niall had come up with several options: hiding our whole family, killing Queen Sophie-Anne, killing Ocella, inciting a war between the fairies and the vampires. That last image chilled me to the bone and Fintan noticed. He rearranged his thoughts quickly, and showed me what was really going to happen, so that when Mr. C. asked us to stand for the Ancient Pythoness, I wasn't as surprised about it as the vampires before me.

The wizened old lady walked in with two of her beautiful assistants. They helped her to the chair at the head of the table, closest to Sophie-Anne and Niall. As soon as she sat down it was like somebody plugged her in.

"Sookie Stackhouse Northman! Come here this instant, child!" the AP said from her seat before any of us had a chance to sit down. Everybody sat, except Eric, and I made my way to the other end of the table. As soon as I was close to the old gal, she put her hand out, asking for mine. She'd had a troubled expression, but it cleared as soon as I put my hand in hers.

Niall reached for my free hand, and his touch helped a little with my nerves. I was usually a little wary of my great-grandfather, but I knew he was good to me. Whatever bit of love he could feel, he felt it for his family.

"May I touch your abdomen?" the AP asked.

I moved closer to her. "Yes, ma'am," I said and let her pet my belly. Everybody else did it all the time, I was used to it. I looked up at Eric who was still standing and fidgeting impatiently. Then my eyes roamed to where Alexei was standing. He was staring at me, his fangs descending ever so slowly. My heart skipped a beat and then began beating furiously. My sudden fear made my whole family stand up suddenly and hiss at the vampires.

"Appius, remove the child," the AP said in a boring tone, like Ocella should have known to do that before the meeting started. "Have someone watch over him while we get this meeting underway."

Ocella stood and Eric moved closer. Alexei didn't like that he was going to be removed and growled and snarled all the way to the door, while both Ocella and Eric pushed him out the door. Glad and Diantha were waiting outside. I had no doubt they would be charged with keeping an eye on the little twerp. When the two men returned only Ocella sat down. Eric remained standing on the other side of the AP.

"Viking," the AP warned with her voice. "You know I won't harm her," she shook her head with an exasperated sigh. Then she smiled her toothless smile. "Your child is strong and has your looks."

I watched as Queen Sophie-Anne, Ocella, and Andre all took in this piece of information with wide eyes. They had truly thought that my baby had been a product of in vitro fertilization. Never had they imagined that it would be Eric's baby.

"How could that happen?" Queen Sophie-Anne asked under her breath.

"Lady! You are in enough trouble as it is without asking stupid questions. They had sex and procreated. Shall I draw you a picture?" the AP shouted at Sophie-Anne. I had to stifle a laugh and settled for a smile. The AP was so old that Sophie-Anne was just a little kid in comparison, therefore that's exactly how she was being treated. The AP looked up at me with her milky white eyes. "Go sit next to your kin, and thank you for indulging this old lady."

I curtsied as best I could with my big belly keeping me permanently off balance, and sat in my seat. Eric also sat down again, reaching across the table and asking for my hand. The only thing we could touch was our fingertips.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, Revered One," Mr. C. started next to us. "Would you like me to read the agreement as it stands?"

"No. My assistants already read the faxed copy you sent. I'm well aware of Sophie-Anne's intentions with this agreement. Let's just get on with it," the AP said, waving a hand and sitting all the way back in her chair, getting comfortable.

"This is a suicide mission for my great-grandson!" Niall said in a very loud voice. "I demand you withdraw your command, Roman!"

Ocella hissed at Niall. "He is mine to command. What makes him your great-grandson? I've never heard of this."

"He is married to my Sookie by vampire law. He is her mate by my law. He must remain by her side until their children are of age. Besides, this is stupidity! Do you really think that if Eric is killed in this endeavor that you will get my Sookie for yourself? I will take her with me to Fairy before that ever happens!" Niall said, and I felt my stomach drop at his words. I wasn't even sure what had made me upset, exactly. Maybe it was all of it.

"She is my subject in the state of Louisiana," Queen Sophie-Anne chimed in.

"Are you now claiming that humans are your subjects, pseudo-Queen Sophie-Anne?" Niall piped up. My uncle laughed behind him. It wasn't a chuckle full of mirth. It was full of malice.

"That's enough!" the AP said in a stronger voice than I thought she would have. She turned to Sophie-Anne. "The contract you signed with Appius is not valid because you cannot promise yourself in marriage to a vampire simply to have a vampire make his child do something. Strike the part to command Eric from your contract, and you may continue the marriage," she nodded at Mr. C. He was taking notes furiously, as well as recording the whole conversation. It was like being at a deposition.

"As for the verbal agreement between you and Niall, that is done. You must follow through with it. He disposed of Victor Madden, now you must dispose of Felipe De Castro and once the kingdom of Nevada is yours, you must give Niall possession of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino, as agreed. I will give you two months to get this accomplished. Should you fail to fulfill your end of the agreement, either you or your estate must pay Prince Niall Brigant the amount of two hundred million dollars every year for the next twenty years or until the Bellagio is out of business, whichever lasts longer," the AP decreed.

I was trying really hard to suppress my joy and giddiness, and I could feel Eric opening his side of our bond slowly, letting me know he felt the same way but not daring to gloat just yet.

"You cannot be serious!" Sophie-Anne balked. "I don't have that kind of money!"

The AP turned her face to the Queen. "Then I suggest you kill Felipe De Castro and take over his kingdom so you can give Niall his casino." The old gal enunciated every word just so, as if she was talking to a three-year-old.

The Queen turned to Mr. C., who was still scribbling away. "You did this to me, you backstabbing demon!" she yelled, getting up and pointing an accusatory finger at Mr. C.

He stopped writing and looked directly at her. I could see something like fire in his eyes. "I will have you know, my lady, that I was entrusted to protect this child from the moment of her birth," he said pointing at me, "and that everything I've done has been to safeguard her in your world, from suggesting you send Sheriff Northman to protect her, to this meeting. She is more mine than she will ever be yours," Mr. C. finished in his always-level deep voice.

I looked at Eric and he was looking right back at me with the same kind of confusion. Mr. C. noticed our exchange and decided to elaborate. He alternated his gaze between me and Eric as he explained.

"When Bill Compton brought Hadley to the compound, I knew I was too late to save her from being in the world of vampires. By the time she showed up in Sophie-Anne's compound, my hands were tied. Hadley wanted that life, she begged to be turned, and Sophie-Anne liked her very much. When Hadley began telling everybody about you," Mr. C. looked at me, "I knew I had to protect you somehow. I wasn't sure if Fintan was here or in Fairy, and I was running out of time. Bill Compton offered to procure you, since he was from the same town, but I told Sophie-Anne that if the rumors were true, you would need a stronger protector. She sent Sheriff Northman to make sure you remained protected."

"I can't believe it," muttered Sophie-Anne, earning herself a loud shushing from the AP.

"It was serendipity that Eric fell in love with you," Mr. C. continued.

"I used to watch your house at night," Eric added quietly. I looked at him quizzically. "I used to stay in the woods next to your house, or sometimes right next to your window, just to make sure you were safe. I would follow you home and then I would make sure that stupid Bill Compton wouldn't come sniffing by your house," he smiled.

I was touched. "There was a night that I woke up and I couldn't hear any insects or animals in the woods, the first night we met. Were you there?" I asked.

"Yes, I was there," he answered simply and gave me a shy smile, one I barely ever got to see. My heart melted for his devotion, and I felt an urgent need to kiss him, which I was able to keep in check.

"When I finally got a hold of Fintan," Mr. C. continued, "he was able to ask for a guardian for you. The need became urgent that day you spoke to your grandmother's grave and Fintan heard you…"

"So many bad things had happened to you already," Fintan interrupted. "I sent Claudine to you immediately, afraid that you wouldn't understand who I was," he said. I realized it was this same fear that had kept him away from Hunter. I guess even old fairies like him were not completely self-assured.

"And, of course, when Eric said you needed further protection I sent Glad and Diantha to take care of you," Mr. C. said.

I took a moment to glance at the other side of the table. Andre was rubbing Sophie-Anne's shoulders in a comforting way while she hung her head and shook it once in a while. Appius was riveted to our conversation, his face blank and his eyes moving to meet mine. I switched my eyes quickly back to Eric.

"You are due in only a couple of months, are you not?" the AP asked me.

"Yes, ma'am. I'm due at the end of September," I answered in a small voice.

The AP nodded and closed her eyes. She seemed to be deep in concentration. "By then we shall know the fate of Sophie-Anne's endeavor to take over the kingdom of Nevada," she said and opened her eyes. She turned to Niall. "Prince, bind them to the agreement with you," the AP said waving her hand. Niall made a quick motion with his staff, always at his side, and the atmosphere shimmered for the tiniest bit of time.

"It is done," he said.

The AP nodded satisfied and turned to Ocella. "Appius Livius Ocella, let's deal with you. What the hell have you done? Why do I find that the rumors of your deed are true?"

"Which deed, Revered One?" he asked, feigning ignorance. He knew what he had done.

"Why do I find the weakest member of the Romanov family still alive and in your care? What possessed you to turn a child such as him? The moment you realized he was a mistake you should have disposed of him," the AP said and frowned. I felt a chill down my spine. Eric had once told me that mistakes were dealt with swiftly in the vampire world. Bubba had been a mistake, but proved to be harmless. I wasn't sure that Alexei was harmless. He'd almost drained Eric dry.

Ocella was in all kinds of distress. "He's my child. I couldn't very well dispose of him!"

"I will concede that you were lonely and desperate at the time, but that moment has passed. Dispose of that child tonight. He is not well. I will allow you to make one other vampire out of a healthy adult male," she said. I was taken aback by the casualness of her statement, but I guess one would be casual about it if one had been doing the same thing for millennia like the AP had. "And stop meddling in the affairs of the Northmans. They are now a family unit independent from you. You must relinquish your hold as maker again, like you did once before," she said, and it was as if saying so made it be so.

A wail of grief issued from Ocella. He'd just lost two children in one night. Had he not answered Queen Sophie-Anne's call and yearned for more power, he would have still had both his charges under his care… or under his thumb, depending on how you looked at it.

"Let it be so," the AP said, and her assistants came to stand beside her. They helped her up from her seat and they started moving towards the door. She stopped. "Viking!"

Eric shot out of his seat immediately and went to her. She made him lean down to her so she could whisper in his ear. As she told him her secret, he switched his eyes to me and a small smile began to grace his lips until it turned into a full-fledged grin. He looked beautiful and happy. My heart soared. This horrible night was finally ending, and Eric's smile meant that there were only good things in our future.

He didn't wait another moment. As soon as the AP was done he ran to my side super vampire fast and scooped me into a tight hug. His lips sought mine and we made out like teenagers. I was so happy to feel his elation that I didn't care how many people were watching. If they didn't like it they could leave.

"My darling, my Sookie," he mumbled, moving his kiss to my cheeks, my forehead, my nose, my chin.

"I love you, honey," I said to him, holding onto his neck and daring anybody to separate me from him. I would kill them with my bare hands.

The room had cleared by the time we came up for air. I giggled hiding my face against Eric's chest. He rumbled with a laugh of his own. We walked slowly outside to see what was up, not really caring about anything but each other. The long hallway was empty.

"Where did everybody go?" I asked looking up at Eric.

"I can hear them outside," he said, so we made our way to the back door.

As soon as we were met with the balmy summer night air, we were both attacked. I fell on my butt, AGAIN! It hurt even worse this time as my tailbone got the brunt of the fall. I heard snarling and growling behind me, Ocella repeating Alexei's name over and over, and saw Pam running past me. I turned from my prone position as Mr. C. picked me up from the ground. Alexei had gone after Eric, and was trying to eat him, from the looks of it. The little kid was fast, faster than I'd ever seen another vampire. He disappeared completely from my vision when he moved.

Mr. C. moved my body behind his. Pam was doing her best to catch Alexei, while he moved with purpose around and around Eric. He would stop and bite Eric and move, stop, bite, move. He was too fast for even Pam to catch. I could only watch in horror. Glad and Diantha were trying to help too, but they couldn't move vampire fast, and therefore had to rely on their other weapons.

Alexei made a mistake. During one of his stops he miscalculated when Eric moved out of the way, and Diantha was able to shoot a stream of white hot fire into Alexei's center mass. The fire consumed him so quickly that he was ash in just seconds. A grieving Ocella launched himself at Diantha, but before he could reach her his neck met the sharp end of Glad's sword. The head rolled away from the falling body and quickly became a smudge of blood on the ground. I watched aghast as Eric knelt beside the body of his maker and watched him disintegrate into the pavement.

When Eric's shoulders started shaking I went to him. I remembered his words: he loved his maker. It was that strange connection vampire makers and children had, even if the maker was abusive. I put my hand on Eric's shoulder. He looked up. He was crying and laughing at the same time. My poor man had lost his mind.

"I'm free," he said with wonder in his voice. I searched his feelings. They were in chaos. He was sad and happy, devastated and elated.

Before I had a chance to ask him if everything was okay, I felt a sharp pain from deep inside me.

"It's too soon," I said, my heart sinking.

Pam caught on quicker than anybody else. She lifted me easily and had me inside the truck and on my way to the hospital in a blink and a half.

**TBC**


	66. The Guardian

**A/N:** Unfortunately I know more about this subject matter than I care to. My baby came into the world at 28 weeks, weighing only 2 lbs. and 1 oz (about 960 grams). She is now a completely healthy and gorgeous 4-year-old. I have always been very grateful to all the doctors that took care of me, including the real Dr. Ein, who is actually a very nice man… and of course everyone who took care of my baby in the NICU of Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring, Maryland. They deserve all the credit that we were able to take our baby home a full month before her original due date.

I replied to everybody's review except from those who have their PM thingy switched off. I loved every one of those reviews, so if you didn't get a reply from me that would have been the only reason. Either way: Viking XOXO to all!

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**Chapter 66 – The Guardian**

"Pam! You left Eric!" I shouted as she peeled rubber and got on the highway. She didn't listen. She was on the phone, in a most unsafe manner, calling Dr. Ein. Meanwhile I was more concerned about Eric than the baby coming early. A brand new pain made me realign my priorities.

"Is it contractions?" Pam asked me. She already had the doctor on the line.

"I don't know. I feel the pain really low and sort of inside," I answered. It could have been simple pain from my tailbone hitting the asphalt and breaking my fall, but I felt the pain a little bit farther in the front. All in all… not good!

Pam repeated my answers to Dr. Ein and they hung up soon thereafter. "The doctor says to go straight to the labor and delivery unit and she will be waiting for us to make sure they take you in right away," Pam said, the stress rolling off her in waves, but she was keeping it together.

"What about Eric?" I asked, and reached to grab her cell phone out of her hand before she could call. I called Glad and told her to bring Eric. She said she would and disconnected.

"Where did everybody go?" I asked as she settled on a comfortable pace on the highway. I think it was close to eighty miles per hour.

"The fairies left after making sure the Queen and Andre were well on their way. The Ancient Pythoness left soon thereafter. Ocella didn't want to leave yet, even as Mr. Cataliades tried to convince him otherwise," she paused and shook her head, a look of disdain coloring her face. "That fucker and his demon child! I could kill Alexei for what he did to you and Eric if he wasn't finally dead. Ocella was a piece of work. It makes you wonder how come Eric came out normal."

Eric wasn't exactly "normal" by my standards, but he was sure close enough. He was a good maker to Pam, a good husband to me, and a good leader and sheriff. Obviously his character had been shaped well before Ocella entered into his life, and Eric had remained himself. I didn't wonder how come he'd come out normal. I knew: Eric was stronger than his environment.

Pam's cell phone rang in my hand. It was Eric, so I answered. "Honey?"

"I'm on my way," he said. Through the bond I could feel his fear, even as I was mostly calm. I think that Pam taking over my situation with such speed and overall self-possession helped me to keep it together too. "I'm sorry, Sookie."

"It's okay, Eric," I said. I knew his emotions had been all over the map after witnessing his maker's death. I wasn't going to hold that against him. "Don't worry too much and don't you drive like a maniac! Dr. Ein will be there when I get there and everything will be fine."

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, his voice going higher in pitch like it did when he was really upset and scared for me.

I answered him with the truth. "Because I'm with Pam."

Pam smiled smugly. She could hear the whole conversation.

At the hospital I made Pam park in a regular parking spot. I told her I hadn't had any more pain, even though I still felt a general malaise, like something wasn't right. One thing Dr. Ein had told me was to never ignore feelings like that. More times than not I would be correct about not feeling right, she'd said. Thankfully I'd never had any weird feelings that would alert me to something being wrong, not until now. We walked to the main desk of the hospital and told the people handing out the badges that my doctor had told me to go straight to Labor & Delivery. They gave Pam a badge and told us where to go. On our way up to the fourth floor, Pam texted Eric instructions on how to come see me. She was scared that he would storm through the front doors demanding to be led to me, when all he had to do was ask politely to go see his wife in L&D, get a badge, and they would even show him where to go.

Dr. Ein was indeed waiting for me and got me checked in immediately. She even put me in a wheelchair and pushed it herself. She asked me about the pain and contractions, all while I was made to strip and put on a gown. As soon as I was ready, Dr. Ein settled me on the bed and went to work. She had a nurse help her set up two monitors over my belly, one to see if I was having contractions, one to hear the baby's heartbeat. Then she checked my cervix. When she emerged, the expression on her face didn't inspire much confidence.

"You're dilated about three centimeters, but it doesn't seem like you are having any contractions. We'll make the preparations just in case you have the baby early, but for now I'm ordering complete bed rest," she said, taking off her glove as the nurse helped me rearrange my position in bed. "You are thirty weeks along, which is very good. If the baby comes now the chances of her being healthy are very high. It's not ideal, though. We want that baby baking for a lot longer."

"Can't you close it?" I asked. In all the reading I'd done about pregnancies, I'd read that some women got a cerclage, where they stitched the cervix closed so the baby would stay in.

"The amniotic sac is bulging a little. I don't want to push against it and have it pop, because then that baby is coming out for sure. Right now she's breech, so we'll just wait and see what she's up to in there. I'm sure at some point she'll turn around. I'm ordering steroids to make her lungs develop faster and help her if she does come early, some antibiotics for you… and you were due for a shot of Rhogam this week, so let's do that too, since we don't know Eric's blood type and you're Rh-negative," Dr. Ein was talking and writing at the same time.

Eric came in, giving the pretty nurse something to get distracted about. I frowned. Couldn't she keep it professional? But Eric's eyes didn't roam and he didn't stop until he was by my bedside. Pam was on my right, Eric on my left. He could feel my worry, and Dr. Ein could see she would have to explain everything all over again. I wasn't listening to her anymore. I was more distracted about the nurse being so rude, preening, and thinking of all the things she would like to do to my husband. Sure Eric looked good. He'd changed so he could come into the hospital looking decent, and the only thing he had in his closet at Raven's Den was a black button-up shirt and black slacks. The nurse's thoughts got too out of control and I was already in enough stress.

"Dr. Ein, excuse me," I interrupted. "Can you ask her to leave and get someone different?" I pointed at the nurse, and I didn't care that she'd heard me. Dr. Ein looked at me confused. "She's being very vulgar," I said, pointing to my temple. Dr. Ein understood immediately and took the nurse aside, dismissing her with an angry whisper.

"Do you want me to bite her?" Pam asked me, eyeing the departing nurse.

"Only if you want to," I answered. "I would never asked you to do something you didn't want to do."

Pam laughed but didn't leave my side. She was nervous about the baby too, even though she wasn't listening to the doctor either. Instead she started fingering the gown they'd given me. It could have been worse. Embarrassing openings aside, the gown was soft. "Can't I bring you something different?" Pam asked, not knowing the exact protocol.

"They'll ask me not to wear it because in an emergency they might need to rip it. This is okay," I said to her in a hushed voice because Dr. Ein and Eric were still talking.

Just then, Claudine walked in, stopping dead in her tracks when she found herself in front of not one, but two vampires. "Can I come in?" she asked, looking nervous.

Eric turned to me. "Pam and I need some blood. Will you be okay for a few minutes?" he asked, running his fingers tenderly over my face. I was thankful that Dr. Ein had explained everything and he wasn't a nervous wreck like I knew he could be. I arched an eyebrow. That was very unlike him. Usually he was the most vocal with his worries… or at least the one that growled the most when he was worried.

I had a sneaky suspicion that he knew something I didn't. "What did the AP tell you?" I asked, ignoring Claudine for a moment.

Eric answered me with a wide smile. "She's called the Ancient Pythoness, Sookie," he bent to kiss me softly on the lips. "We'll be back soon," he turned to Claudine. "You may come in."

We all froze when we saw the nurse that came to take over helping Dr. Ein. She was… she wasn't human. Her long red hair was tied into a ponytail, her eyes were very large and green. She looked like an angel and I gasped.

"My guardian angel," I whispered.

"Eír," whispered Eric.

Claudine turned towards the nurse, who smiled widely at all of us. Her whole being screamed HEALER. I don't even know how to describe it. All I knew at the time was that I was very happy to see her, and very confused.

"Erin!" Claudine exclaimed and hugged the nurse who hugged her back. "Long time, no see! I'm so happy you could come and take care of Sookie."

"You are Eír," Eric said again, this time his voice came out a bit stronger.

Dr. Ein turned to see the nurse. She was a witch and understood perfectly well our commotion. Pam looked confused. I was still speechless about seeing my guardian angel actually made of flesh and blood.

The doctor left after giving some instructions to Eír/Erin, and the nurse turned to us with an unbelievably happy grin. "Hi, Sookie! It's been a long time. And look at you! About to have a baby thanks to my sister! You look beautiful all grown up and about to be a mother."

"You're my guardian angel," I said, even though she had already confirmed all of my suspicions.

"I used to be your guardian, but I'm not an angel. Eric can tell you better what I am. In the meantime I'm going to give you your shot of steroids," she said and made a motion for me to turn and give her my butt.

Eric helped me turn as he explained. "Eír is Freyja's sister and goddess of healing."

"In the human world you can call me Erin. I also make sure the Brigant family is healthy. You are royalty, my princess," she said, rubbing a pad with alcohol on the area of my butt where she was going to inject the steroids to develop my baby's lungs. I closed my eyes feeling the sting of the needle and the cold feeling of the liquid entering my muscle. "Alright, Daddy," Erin said. "Go get something to drink so we can have some family time," she patted Eric's shoulder. She looked like a regular human, but I could feel the power emanating from her. Her mind was a lot like Claudine's.

Eric turned to me, and his feelings of relief were overwhelming. He smiled again. After the horrible night we'd had those smiles were worth millions. I smiled back and mouthed _I love you_. He wasn't content with that, choosing to sit next to me. He ran his hands over my face, his glacial blue eyes roaming over my every feature. He leaned down and kissed me. I once again wasn't embarrassed by our audience.

"Eep!" we heard Claudine exclaim from where she was standing, still very close to the door.

"Pam!" Eric admonished her. She had moved closer to Claudine, probably on her way out of the room.

"I didn't do anything!" Pam said like she was shocked that Eric thought she'd been misbehaving, when we all knew she had.

"I'll be back my love. Do you want anything?" he asked, willing to get me food.

I turned to Erin. "Can I eat?" I asked because my stomach was very angry with me.

"The doctor will say no, but I won't tell her. Something simple though, no greasy cheeseburger," Erin answered and turned to Eric. "Get her a chicken noodle soup with crackers and a couple of chocolate chip cookies with a sweet tea. You can get it at the cafeteria downstairs. They'll also have your True Blood."

I giggled. Eric was taking mental notes. I knew he wouldn't forget anything. He squeezed my hand and left. Claudine came over quickly and gave me the hug I knew she'd been itching to give me.

"I haven't told Niall and Fintan because I wasn't sure what was going on and they're already back in Fairy," she said. She saw my confused expression. I was wondering how she knew something was wrong. "I felt a commotion, but it didn't seem like you were in direct danger. I went ahead and called Glad and she told me what happened. The sisters are downstairs waiting impatiently."

"I'll tell Eric to give them news," I said. Hopefully he'd think about it without my having to say anything.

Erin turned to me with a very serious expression on her face. "Sookie, I can help you carry your baby to term, if you will allow it. I can make your cervix close up without disturbing the amniotic sac, but I would have to touch it. Would you allow me to do that?" she asked.

I wanted to say "duh!" but I didn't think that was a very smart thing to say to a goddess that was offering help. So I said, "Yes, please, anything for Idony," instead.

She got ready and had me open my legs one more time. Amazing that what Eric did to me and made feel so good, was an otherwise very uncomfortable procedure. Claudine read my mind and sat beside me in a way that she couldn't see anything. She held my hand, and that was nice. Having her near was always nice.

"Claudine, what about your baby? How far along are you now?" I asked because I had finally mustered up the courage. I hadn't been able to do it earlier.

"Eleven weeks. If they survive I'm having twins," she said with a sad smile.

"You didn't tell me you were trying. I didn't even know you had a mate…" I said drifting off when her face lost the smile altogether.

"With the rate of infant mortality for us, it doesn't make sense to declare a mate until the children are born safely. The father lives in Fairy full time, so I would have to move there when the time comes. It's not ideal, but it's necessary. That's why Idony is so important to Niall. Even if she's barely fae, she's still his blood, just like you. Eric made it happen, and even though he used to not like Eric all that much, he now accepts him and trusts him."

"How did they know each other?" I asked, my mind going off on a tangent.

"I don't remember. It was when Niall was still young, I know that. It must have been in the late Middle Ages," she giggled and I had to smile too. I still had a hard time wrapping my mind around how old my husband was.

I got my thoughts back to the subject. "Why do fairies have a high infant mortality rate?" I asked and winced. Erin was still working "down there." I tried to ignore it.

"A little bit of iron poisoning, we suspect. Anybody that's been on this side of things has it. Although some others say that it has always been that way and that it's due to our propensity to give birth to multiples. Our own mom almost died giving birth to us three," she explained of her and her siblings. I'd never heard her talk about her mom.

Claudine answered my thoughts. "Mom's in Fairy, driving us crazy because she wants us to live there close to her. She loves the money we send her, though," she laughed.

"All done!" exclaimed Erin from the foot of the bed. I thanked God silently and made Claudine giggle again. "Dr. Ein will check you and find that everything is as it should be. She will probably keep you here for a little bit to make sure you really are keeping that baby in, and then she'll send you home."

"Really?" I asked, beyond happy. I was so relieved.

"Yes, really. You won't have to see me again until it's the right time," Erin said and got up. She was getting ready to leave.

"Erin!" I called. She turned to me with a smile. "Thank you so much for being there for me."

"You're welcome. It's always been my pleasure, little one," she smiled wider, and left.

I shook my head.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Honey? Are you okay?" I asked Eric. He was lying in the tiny hospital bed with me. Dr. Ein had done exactly what Erin said she would do: she was keeping me in the hospital to make sure my cervix remained closed. In the meantime I was still on absolute bed rest. That didn't mean I couldn't have company.

"Never better," he answered looking into my eyes, making sure I knew he meant it.

"Aren't you sad that Ocella is gone?" I was trying to be tactful, but I really wanted to make sure he was alright.

"I miss the connection I had with my maker, but I'm not sad. I'm free for the first time in a very long time. He was about to take me away from the ones I cannot live without, and I would have never forgiven him for it." He kissed my lips very softly, and I felt loved and cherished. "I love you, Svanmeyja," he whispered. His hand was caressing our baby between us.

"Will you tell me how you met Niall?" I asked, changing the subject to another that was also nagging at my brain.

"I will tell you, another day," he said and kissed my nose. Eric had also been relieved when I told him what Erin had done to make sure Idony wasn't born before she was due. After I ate the food he'd brought me he lay next to me on the bed and had begun a kissing campaign. Not that I was complaining.

"You sleep during the day," I whined a little. He silenced me with a toe-curling kiss to my lips.

"What did the AP tell you?" I asked again when he let me up for air.

"I will tell you, another day," he said again. I was getting nowhere fast.

"It's just… you were so happy and I really want to know," I whined… again.

"I was happy because it's good news," he said and ducked his head to kiss my neck. I felt his fangs lengthen against the sensitive skin at my throat at the same time that he let out a quiet growl. "I wish we could make love," it was his turn to whine.

"Not here. They're watching me like a hawk here. But we can when we get home," I said, running one of my hands over his neck as well. "I wish we could make love too," I confessed, wanting him as much as he wanted me.

We were lying on our sides facing each other. His wandering hand found my waist and pulled me closer against his hard body, only to have a little protester kick him in the stomach. He laughed, and it was like listening to a choir of angels.

**TBC**


	67. The Shower

**A/N: **Yikes! We're almost to the end of our journey. It makes me a little sad and a little happy to move on to another project.

To all my readers who like what I write: please do me the honor of following me to my next project, "Nothing's Gonna Change My World," winner of the "Dead After Dead Reckoning" contest and soon to be a full-fledged story. I will be updating it soon.

You can also follow me on my blog, where I just posted my first original fic (take out the spaces): http: / rebelina11 . wordpress . com – many of you already follow, thank you!

Finally you can follow me on Twitter (at) rebelina11

AND… because I love y'all so, so much, I'm starting this chapter off with a well-deserved lemon from Eric's POV. Under 18's please keep away. You shouldn't be reading this fic anyway.

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**Chapter 67 – The Shower**

I felt a rumble deep within my chest. It was the sound of utter contentment. The scent of my precious wife and her warmth met me as I awoke for the night. She was in my arms, breathing deeply and fast asleep. As her belly had swollen so had her need for rest, and I'd been finding her sleeping beside me more nights than not.

Tonight was special. It was Labor Day. Raven's Den would be open but only for a private party: a very special private party to honor my wife and our baby. It was Pam's way of showing Sookie how much she loved her. I knew she did. They were friends and siblings, connected through me. My baby would want for nothing from her aunt, and if anything ever happened to me, I knew Pam would watch over both Sookie and Idony.

I caressed Sookie's hair, waking her up in the gentlest way possible. Ultimately, it was our child who woke her up by delivering a swift kick to her mid-section.

"Thank God she's coming out soon…" Sookie mumbled; her face was a mask of discomfort. "She's heavy and she's demanding."

I laughed. "Sounds like me," I said.

Sookie looked up with a sleepy face and gave me a wide smile. She ran her hand flat over my chest, then outlined it with a finger. "You're not heavy," she said and bit her lip. I knew that look. It was the look of well-rested loving Sookie.

My libido high-jacked my higher brain functions. We'd had sex and been intimate, but less than I liked, so I took every opportunity as it presented itself. I reached between us, following the roundness that housed my child to find my wife's pleasure center. I let my finger part her warm folds while my tongue ran lazily tracing patterns over her lips. Sookie moaned and held me tight against her, lifting her leg over my hip to give me better access.

I plied her slowly, enjoying this simple moment: man, woman, doing what came natural, love and lust. I moaned into her mouth and she parted her lips, letting me taste her. But it wasn't her mouth that I wanted to taste. Her juices had changed their flavor lately, into something sweeter, or perhaps richer. All I knew was that I was willing to keep her barefoot and pregnant forever just to taste the new delicacy between her legs. I dipped a finger, then two, to test her readiness. She was ready and breathing hard against my face, letting me know she enjoyed the invasion.

I brought my fingers up to taste her essence. She watched me lick my fingers with lust-filled eyes, taking it all in. She whimpered and pressed her body harder against mine. I offered her my fingers and she opened her mouth, her pink tongue inviting my digits to play. She closed her eyes as she sucked on my fingers, tasting what was left of her juices and making my own world tilt.

Sookie opened her eyes when she heard the growl rip through me. She smiled with my fingers still in her mouth. That was enough for me. I had to taste her. I had to have her. She was mine, and she would be mine tonight and carry my scent everywhere. She laid back and opened her legs for me. I moved and settled my body to feast on that of my wife's, lapping placidly at her center and enjoying every soft moan that came from that gorgeous mouth. I sucked on the little bud, making it swell to then flick it with my tongue. She would tremble every time I did that, her whole body responding to my tease.

"You taste so good," I groaned, letting my tongue go as deep inside her as it could. My fingers followed, searching for that secret spot that would trigger even more of the heady creaminess to usher out. I found it and Sookie let out a howl that let the whole house know just how much she enjoyed my attentions… if they had been able to hear us.

I worked my fingers, feeding her frenzy, and then there it was: Sookie's whole body convulsed with a strong orgasm, and I lapped up everything she gave me, listening to her screams of pleasure, listening to my name gracing her lips over and over. My cock was hard as steel for her. All I wanted now was to bury myself inside her, fill her, take my pleasure from her tight sheath.

Sookie turned to her side. It was the only way she found comfortable lately. I knelt and parted her, finding her slick opening and teasing with the head of my cock. She hissed. I lifted her right leg just enough, and pushed, entering her slowly, feeling the tight channel contract around me. Sookie moaned and turned her upper body to look at me. Even then, after countless nights making love, knowing each other in every way, she still showed me how much she loved me. She wasn't content just to lay there with her eyes closed. She wanted to look at me as I made love to her.

I reached between her legs and ran my fingers around her tender nub, making her gasp and shiver. She put her hand over mine and then pushed it aside, playing expertly with that small pearl. She had once confessed that I had been the subject of some of her daydreams while she masturbated. From then on seeing her servicing herself had been an incredible turn-on for me. Just watching her now made me want to come so badly that I slowed down.

"No! Please, don't stop," Sookie begged. "Faster, Eric, please."

I aimed to please, increasing the pace, feeling my own release was just around the corner being fueled by Sookie's cries. When she burst underneath me I couldn't hold out any longer. I came, riding the wave of her orgasm and into mine, wanting her blood so badly that I bit my own tongue. I had already taken my fill the night before. A pity.

Slowly we made our way out of bed and into the bathroom, to bathe and start our night. I washed her tenderly, hoping that some of my scent would still cling to her. She said she didn't want to wash her hair, and I knew my smile gave me away.

"What are you all smiley about?" she asked me, seeing right through me.

"I wanted my scent on you, to make sure everyone knows you're mine," I said, still smiling from ear to ear.

Sookie rolled her eyes. "Where are we going, again?" she asked, pretending she didn't know anything about the baby shower that Pam had put together.

"Thank you for doing this," I said, knowing Sookie didn't like to be the center of attention and for people to give her things.

"Well, the party isn't really for me. It's for our baby, and for Pam. If anyone shows up with a gift card or something that wasn't on the registry I think she might stake them," Sookie laughed. She was right. "And there better be no duplicates," she laughed harder. "Baby Shower Nazi," she said out of breath.

Sookie got ready, wearing a simple navy dress in a fabric that hugged all her curves in the right way. This was her night, whether she wanted to see it as such or not, and she was showing off the beautiful roundness of her abdomen, the perfect swell of her hips, and her sumptuous enlarged cleavage. I could get used to that.

Now was my turn to give her the gift that Pam insisted I must give Sookie. Pam had said that I was to give my wife a gift for having my child, and then left me to my own devices. What do you give the woman who means more to you than your own life? I went with jewelry.

I approached her slowly with the flat wooden box that held a necklace. I knew she would accept it. My own trepidation made me walk slower than usual. I wasn't sure if she would like my choice.

"What is this for, honey?" Sookie asked, running her fingers softly over the box.

"Pam insisted that I owe you a gift for being the mother of my child. I wasn't sure whether I was supposed to give it to you tonight or after Idony's birth, but I would like you to wear it tonight," I said and opened the box for her.

Her hands flew to her mouth at the sight. It was a light blue sapphire, almost the color of Sookie's eyes, with two diamonds at either side, on a white gold chain. Sookie brought her hands down, one to rest over her heart, another to point at the necklace with one delicate finger.

"It's us around Idony. Sapphires are her birth stone," she said and a single tear slid down her cheek. I quickly put the box down to wipe her tears.

"Do you like it? Your tears tell me otherwise," I said, using my handkerchief to clean her face.

"I love it, honey. It's absolutely beautiful. I'm just… overwhelmed. I think I'll skip the eye makeup tonight," she said and smiled through her tears.

She took the handkerchief and turned around, holding her hair up. I didn't waste any time putting the necklace around her neck. It matched her outfit, her eyes, her smile… and she seemed to like it. She chose a pair of small white gold hoops to complete her outfit. When she turned around to ask for my opinion, all I could do was smile wide with pride. She threw her arms around my neck and kissed me. The kiss turned steamy, and this time it hadn't been my fault. I pulled away reluctantly, knowing we had to go.

"Are you going out naked?" she asked me walking to the bathroom to finish applying her makeup. "Not that I don't enjoy it," she called out while I pulled out a nice pair of slacks and a white long-sleeve button-down shirt. Since she was wearing navy, I chose navy pants.

Now I had a dilemma. "What did Pam say for dress code?" I asked Sookie. She snuck her head out of the bathroom and raised an eyebrow at me. The joke was on me. "Oh! Right. You're not supposed to know about tonight." Sookie giggled and came over.

"I don't think she was expecting you to wear a tie, if that's what you mean. Maybe this and the jacket that goes with the pants."

"I'll stick a tie in the pocket, just in case," I mumbled, knowing Pam.

Glad and Diantha were ready and waiting for us. Glad was looking as normal as ever, and Diantha was a kaleidoscope of colors. How could two sisters be so similar yet so different? They gushed over Sookie's new necklace, missing nothing. After speaking to them and to Mr. Cataliades I had decided not to send for a Britlingen to watch over Sookie. Sookie was happy with my decision. She trusted the demon sisters implicitly, and so far they had protected her very well and me too. I owed Glad for setting me free from my maker.

Raven's Den was already bustling when we arrived. That had been unexpected, until Pam met us at the door and told me why there was so much excitement among our guests.

"Sophie-Anne is making her move tonight," Pam said in a hushed voice. "It's not yet full dark in Nevada, so we'll have to wait for news. The Queen took Godric and Thalia with her. Chris is here and told us where her maker was. I paired her with Indira for the remainder of the night," she finished and then turned to Sookie with a wide smile. "You look scrumptious, Sookie. That dress makes your breasts look positively edible."

"Pam," Sookie said with a roll of her eyes. "Look a little above my cleavage, please." My Sookie was showing off her new necklace. I'd done well for sure.

"That is a beautiful necklace. What's the occasion?" Pam asked, still not saying anything and pretending we were at Raven's Den with no other purpose that to attend some strange random private party.

"It's our one-year anniversary," I said, fudging the dates quite a bit. Pam raised an eyebrow and so did Sookie.

Pam decided to overlook it and threaded her arm into one of Sookie's, leading her into goddess-only-knew what. Sure enough: Raven's Den was a covered in pink, yellow and green. The main lights were on. The dance floor sported the old dais with the chairs in the middle, newly reupholstered into pink and blue. I guessed mine was the blue. Guests had left all their brightly colored parcels on a table dedicated to that purpose. And in all this riotous explosion of color and light, I heard my mate's squeals of delight, kissing and hugging everyone that stepped in her path. There were many people from Bon Temps, her brother, her friend Tara, the witch Amelia, many of my people along with our new permanent attorney, Mr. Cataliades. Claudine and Fintan were hugging Sookie, with Niall watching the scene serenely. Only he could bestow the magic to make the fairy scent fade away.

Niall approached me, smiling beatifically. "Son," he said, clapping a hand on my back. "Thank you for looking after Sookie and for being a good mate."

"I love Sookie," I stated the obvious. He'd made it sound like looking after Sookie had been a burden.

"I realize that," Niall conceded. "I never thought you would change over the years, enough to become a husband and father."

"Sookie gave me that," I said. Niall was right, of course. Back when the prince and I first met I would have never imagined my life would be so full. It all came because Sookie entered my world.

Pam approached us and politely said I was needed elsewhere. She stole Sookie as well and deposited us both in front of the dais. Pam was nothing if not organized, so we just followed along with whatever she wanted.

Our guests ended up playing a game of "Guess the Size of the Belly," where they paired up in teams of two or more and guessed how much string would be needed to circle Sookie's whole abdomen. When the teams approached us, they handed me the piece of string and I measured it against her belly. Amelia and Claudine's team came closest, and they won gift certificates to… who knew? Something else had caught my attention.

I saw Chris talking on her cell phone excitedly, just as mine vibrated inside my pocket. It was Thalia. I answered immediately.

"I am here," I said. Sookie looked at me inquisitively.

"We have won. Sophie-Anne is now the Queen of Louisiana, Arkansas and Nevada," Thalia said. She sounded out of breath.

"Are you alright? Is Godric alright?"

"Godric is helping me with my arm. Some asshole sliced it clean off before I took his sword and beheaded him. Godric is holding my arm to my shoulder and it is beginning to mend, but it is very painful," she said. I put my hand on my forehead in both relief and worry. Relief because Sophie-Anne had won. Worry because Thalia was one of my people.

"Do you need me to send you help? How are you returning home?" I asked, making a motion for Pam to approach.

"Like I said, Godric is helping me. It is early and we can catch a flight right away. Sophie-Anne is keeping people from Arkansas here and sending most of Louisiana home. But I thank you, Sheriff, for your concern," she said, and I heard a small grunt from her.

"Very well. Do not hesitate to call me should you need anything," I said and hung up.

"Was that Thalia? Is she okay?" Sookie asked.

"Her arm was severed at her shoulder, but Godric is there and helping her and she says she's able to feel her fingers. Sophie-Anne took over Nevada," I said and smiled. Sookie frowned while Pam remained impassive as always.

"Wouldn't that be a bad thing? She's really conniving, you know," Sookie pointed out, with reason.

"Yes, Sophie-Anne is conniving, smart and power-hungry. Nevertheless, De Castro was just as bad. Better the devil that I know," I said and took her hand. "Don't worry, my love. Sophie-Anne will be far too busy ruling over three states to want to meddle in our affairs."

"Well, since all is well, we shall resume the festivities," Pam said and reassembled the guests for another game.

That is how we ended up piling so many baby items into the truck that Pam had to drive Glad and Diantha home. We had to fold the seats down in order to fit everything. Who knew a child would need so many things? In my time there was some preparation and anticipation, but nothing of this scale and magnitude. I smiled to myself when I thought of "my" time. This was "my" time too.

That night, right after Sookie went to sleep, I assembled a small bed, one that would fit perfectly inside our bedroom.

**TBC**

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**A/N: We're having a baby next chapter and saying goodbye to this story. Thank you so much for reading! Each and every one of you has made this journey one of the most exciting in my life. This was my first fic and I'm tickled pink that you have loved it as much as I love it.**

**P.S.: If you'd like to see Sookie's new necklace, you can go to my blog, go to Alive After Dark's main page, and click on the link there.**


	68. So Happy Together

**A/N:** This chapter is told from Sookie's and Eric's POV. It will be really easy to follow who's who. Enjoy!

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**Chapter 68 – So Happy Together**

I woke up one morning feeling… not right. It honestly felt like I'd left something on, like the coffeemaker or the iron. Then I reminded myself that those two appliances had auto-off features. I got up and took a shower. It was early for me, only nine in the morning. I'd gone to bed a mere four hours before, about an hour before Eric. I didn't feel like sleeping anymore, though.

I'd been able to tell with greater accuracy the times when Idony was awake or asleep inside my belly. At the moment I was washing my hair, she was awake, but not moving much. Dr. Ein had assured us that it was normal for her to not move as much anymore. Even her size was a rough guess. Idony now weighed anywhere from six to eight pounds. I myself had been an eight-pound baby, so Idony's size wasn't that surprising.

I dried my hair and started getting ready in front of the bathroom mirror, when I felt a big gush of water land on the floor at my feet. I looked down, wondering why I'd done that. I'd gone to the bathroom before my shower. Had I just peed myself without noticing?

Then it dawned on me. "My water broke," I said aloud to nobody at all. Before I panicked I took a deep breath. I hadn't felt a contraction, but after my water breaking it was imperative to go to the hospital. I cleaned myself and cleaned the floor as best I could. I got dressed slowly and grabbed my watch, the one I always forgot to wear. Like clockwork, the second I fastened the watch around my wrist, I got the first contraction.

**9:34 a.m.**

I got my overnight bag, the one that had been ready for a while now with everything I would need in the hospital, plus something very important. Because we knew the baby could come at any moment, I'd left a note already written and ready to go in one of the outside pockets of my bag. Eric and I had made plans if I had to leave during the day to the hospital, so that he would know to come when he woke up. I was to leave the note under his charging cell phone, and then make sure whoever was with me sent him a text message at first dark. Glad and Diantha were in on the program, so I wouldn't need to necessarily remind them to text him.

I bent over Eric and kissed his temple. "I love you. We're having a baby today," I said. Of course, he didn't hear me, and I wasn't in enough distress to wake him.

I made my way to Glad's room first. She was the oldest, so I usually let her call the shots with Diantha. I knocked first, rather than just bursting in… because enemies don't knock… and then I entered her room. She started sitting up in her bed. "'Sit time?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes. I'm going to make us something to eat real quick because I don't think they'll let me eat anything in the hospital. We don't have much time, but enough to have breakfast," I said. I was not leaving my house without breakfast, and just as I thought that I had another contraction.

**9:43 a.m.**

Okay. The contractions were nine minutes apart. I had time. As I made a quick breakfast of scrambled eggs and corned beef hash from a can, I called Dr. Ein. I told her about my water breaking and the contractions about nine minutes apart. She said I had time and to go ahead and eat something and then head to the hospital. She foresaw a long labor.

"Are they painful?" she asked me about the contractions.

"Well, they're no walk in the park, but I can handle it. They feel stronger than a menstrual cramp and radiate to my back," I said. Still, I didn't feel sick to my stomach from pain, so that was a plus.

Glad and Diantha made it just in time to eat. I had my final cup of coffee, ate what I could stand and then we were off to the hospital.

**10:54 a.m.**

My contractions were approximately seven minutes apart when we got to the hospital. I checked in, already familiar with the process, and they took me to a room in the Labor & Delivery unit. This was familiar. I stripped, put on the requisite gown, and settled on the bed while two nurses worked over me, strapping two monitors to my belly and getting an IV started. The attending OB came to look at me and see how far along I was.

"Four centimeters. Do you want pain medicine?" he asked. He seemed busy but waited patiently for my answer. I was weighing the options. I wasn't in a lot of pain but knew it was only a matter of time until I was… and then it might be too late to get pain relief.

"Yes," I said sounding less than sure.

Amelia ran in the room. She'd gotten a text from Glad. "Did you just ask for pain meds?" she asked out of breath.

"Yes," I said, again less than sure. I wondered what she'd have to say about it.

"Oh, okay!" she nodded and watched as the doctor left. "I called Claudine. She was working today but she's on her way."

Claudine was coming from Monroe, a whole hour and a half away. But at least I had Amelia, Glad and Diantha. None of us had ever had children before or witnessed a birth. I started to get nervous and scared.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**6:48 p.m.**

Something was wrong. I woke up to Sookie's feelings in a bit of upheaval. My phone was flashing like I'd missed a message, and right underneath it: the note. My daughter had chosen the autumnal equinox to be born. I got dressed quickly then realized that there was still some sunlight outside. I covered as much of me as possible and set off for the truck. The dark tint of the windows would help me during the last of the day, otherwise I would have flown. I did not want to give Sookie a fright with a burned face. She was already very nervous.

I took advantage of a red light to text Pam to come meet us at the hospital. This would be the second time my wife was in the hospital about to have my daughter, so when I arrived I tried to keep a level head as I told the guard at the front desk that my wife was in labor.

"What is her name?" the obnoxious little man asked.

"Sookie Northman," I answered barely keeping my cool. I clamped my mouth shut while the man looked me over, and thanked the goddess that Sookie had the wherewithal to change her name to mine when she did.

"I will need to see ID," he said.

I gave him my driver's license with an exasperated sigh. "You're wasting my time," I said under my breath.

The man studied my ID thoroughly and raised an eyebrow, probably noting my date of birth. When he looked up again I didn't hesitate and glamoured him into giving me the goddamn badge. I figured at some point I would be questioned about being a father, but tonight was not the right night. I skipped the elevator and ran up the stairs, clearing the four floors in mere seconds, then made my way through the corridor of Labor & Delivery following Sookie's scent. The smell of blood was everywhere. My fangs were showing the moment I stepped into Sookie's room.

**7:12 p.m.**

"Eric…" she said in a breath. She was in pain and she was scared. Before I could get to her a nurse stopped me.

"Dad, you have to wear this. Go change," the nurse barked the order and pointed at a bathroom inside the room. She had handed me blue pajamas and something to cover my shoes and hair. Everyone in the room was wearing something similar.

"Is it time?" I asked, never taking my eyes off my Sookie as I changed. She gave me a quick nod. She was so scared. I looked away, but only to center myself. She needed me to keep my cool and give her serenity. I infused the bond with as much calm as I was capable of, under the circumstances.

"There are too many people here," a nurse announced. "Dad, you stay over there with Mom, everybody else out!"

Several shapes filed past me out the door, but I paid attention to none. I hoped two of those were Glad and Diantha. I took my place by Sookie's bedside and she crushed my hand in hers, looking up and trembling.

"I'm scared," she whispered a lone tear escaping down her cheek. I quickly wiped it away with my bare fingers.

"You'll be fine," I said and smiled, tucking a lock of her hair inside the cap. "I love you, darling."

Dr. Ein was at the bottom of the bed, looking between Sookie's legs. "Sookie, I need you to bear down and push until I tell you to stop. Eric, help her sit up a little and hold her back. Ready?"

We all nodded. I pushed Sookie's body up slightly and noticed a small tube coming out of her back, presumably for medication. It hit me that none of this bothered me. I'd never witnessed the birth of my children before, so this was truly a first. I felt a terrible amount of guilt for what my first wife had gone through without me. Now that I could feel what Sookie was feeling I knew there was no way I would ever leave her to face this alone.

**7:35 p.m.**

Sookie bore down and pushed, following the doctor's instructions until she was told to stop. She took deep breaths, still trembling. She was still scared and now she was in a great amount of pain.

"Can't you give her something for pain?" I asked.

"No, Eric, I told them to stop the pain medication because I couldn't feel anything," she said nearly breathless. I frowned.

The doctor and nurses settled Sookie into a rhythm of pushing and resting that lasted much longer than I thought she could handle. I felt her physical strength flagging, and I was sure her mental shields weren't holding anymore.

**9:29 p.m.**

"Just a few more, Sookie. You can do this," Dr. Ein insisted. She had said the same thing for two hours. "One big push and the head will be out." That was new.

"You can see it?" I asked skeptically.

"Yes!" the doctor beamed. "Do you want to see it?" she asked me.

"Sookie needs me right now. I will see it soon enough," I said immediately, not giving in to my curiosity.

Sookie continued pushing, and the scent I would come to associate with our daughter became stronger. Finally Idony's head emerged from the birth canal. One more push and her whole body was expelled into the waiting hands of the doctor. A nurse quickly clamped the umbilical cord and called me over to cut it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**10:14 p.m.**

Idony came out looking a little blue. The nurse clamped the umbilical cord and called Eric over to cut it. Everyone gasped when he used his teeth instead of the scissors and stole the blue baby from Dr. Ein's hands. He brought her to me, massaging her back slightly. Idony took a breath, then another, then let out a tiny wail and I finally let out my own breath. The nurse placed a small blanket on me where Eric put Idony and wrapped her up, licking her head. I could hear the nurses' thoughts about how disgusting, blah-di-blah. He was cleaning his baby, loving her the way he knew how. One of the nurses approached us to put some type of antibiotic thing on her eyes, but I stopped her. There was no better antibiotic than Daddy's saliva.

"Leave them," I said to her. I felt Dr. Ein still working between my legs, but I was past paying attention to her. I watched as Idony's small cries quieted under her father's care, tears streaming from my eyes.

Finally one of the nurses caught on that there was no separating Eric from his baby. "Dad, why don't you bring the baby over here so you can finish cleaning her? Then we can weigh her and get her dressed."

I watched as best I could. Dr. Ein was sewing up the tiny incision she'd had to make on me. She had already taken care of everything else. I was happy that she had been able to make it to the birth, and I told her so.

"Are you kidding?" she winked. "I wouldn't have missed this birth for the world! How often do I get to see Dad go all vampire on an umbilical cord?" she laughed. I heard Eric chuckling from the other side of the room. I could only imagine his thick fingers making heads and tails of a tiny diaper.

"Eight pounds, two ounces, twenty-one inches!" Eric announced. He was proud as a peacock. "And gray eyes?"

"They will change to blue in a month or so," commented Dr. Ein. She took over the task of cleaning me, instead of letting a nurse do it, which was above and beyond her job description. Again, I was grateful, and loved her even more than I already had.

Eric brought Idony back to me, and the nice nurse followed. "Let's see if she will eat," she said, helping me lift my gown enough to reveal a breast. Eric settled my now clean and pink baby in my arms and I took a moment to just look at her.

"How do you love someone so much you've just met?" I asked, voicing the question that has been on every mother's lips since forever. Her head was covered by a tiny pink hat, and she was bundled up in a clean blanket. All I could see were her big rosy cheeks, cute button nose, and tiny rosebud lips. Her eyelashes were very light as were her eyebrows. She opened her eyes looking up, and when I caressed her cheek she opened her mouth.

"Look at that, Mom. She's ready to latch on," the nurse said, helping me bring her to my breast.

I felt Eric's pride peak when Idony started eating her first meal. I could imagine his thoughts: healthy girl, strong like her father, ready for the world and only a few minutes old. I smiled up at Eric, who was watching both of us with undisguised love.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

**One month later, 2:34 a.m.**

Idony awoke at her usual time. Sookie had been sleeping but she started turning. I stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. The nights were mine.

"Sleep, my love," I said, and went to get my daughter from the small crib in our bedroom. I had become an expert at working the tiny buttons of her pajamas. I changed her diaper and took her with me to warm up some breast milk in the kitchen. I sat on the couch in the den. Idony was wide awake and watching my every move.

My beautiful baby girl began drinking her milk. When she was halfway done, Sookie joined us and sat next to me, cuddling against my free side.

"What are you doing up?" I asked her in a gentle tone.

"I couldn't fall asleep again," she said, yawning widely. She watched as I continued feeding our baby. "I would have never thought I'd have my very own family."

"I never thought I would have one either," I conceded. I was beyond lucky, beyond blessed. Idony's eyes started closing as she finished her milk.

I sat her up, holding her sleeping body with one hand while burping her with the other. "You're really good at this," Sookie whispered and smiled, running her fingers over Idony's soft blond hair. She barely had any.

Idony burped a nice loud one, making Sookie giggle and me grin. "Excuse you, miss!" Sookie said and took the bottle to the kitchen.

**3:01 a.m.**

I held Sookie in my arms and hummed her song, the song about a woman with eyes like the sea and flaxen hair. I loved to see her happy, to feel her happiness inside me. I was happy as well. For the first time in more than a thousand years I had a home. I had built it, and I had filled it, but Sookie had warmed it and now Idony had blessed it.

We were at peace. We were one.

"I have something to tell you," I said. I knew Sookie wasn't asleep yet.

"What's that, honey?"

"Don't you want to know what the Ancient Pythoness whispered in my ear that night?" I asked, looking down. Sookie moved from her spot and looked up.

"What did she say?"

"She said we would be blessed a few more times. She said I would always have my family nearby and that I would never be alone again."

Sookie moved closer to me and put her hand on my cheek. "You love being a father," she said. It wasn't a question.

"I love being your husband and the father of your children. I love you Sookie." I kissed my wife, savoring her lips and the way she made me feel. I pulled away but only to look at her. "I waited my whole life for you."

"That's a long time," she murmured.

"Every single second was worth it to have you here with me."

**~The End~**


	69. Worth a Try Coming Soon!

Hello All!

I'm sure you're wondering why in the world I'm updating a complete story. I'm not. I'm only posting this so that those of you that don't have me on alert will know that I'm writing a side story for AAD. The first chapter will be up soon, and the whole thing won't be more than maybe 3 or 4 chapters. The working title is "Worth a Try." If you don't have me on Author Alert and are interested… then you know what to do!

Thanks to all you wonderful readers who enjoyed AAD! I hope the side stories are to your liking.

Much Love,

~Rebelina~


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